Priyanka Tibrewal has rubbished all allegations levelled by the Trinamool (File)
Priyanka Tibrewal, fielded by the BJP against Mamata Banerjee from the Bhabanipur constituency for the upcoming bypoll, has been served a show-cause notice by the Election Commission after a poll code violation complaint by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
In its complaint, the TMC alleged that Ms Tibrewal violated the Model Code of Conduct and Covid guidelines as she gathered "an unruly mob" of not less than 500 without any permission when she filed her nomination.
She even performed 'Dhunuchi Nach' (a traditional dance generally performed during the Durga Puja) at several places on her way to file the nomination, the TMC claimed.
The notice issued by the Returning Officer on Tuesday referred to reports submitted by the officer-in-charge of the Bhabanipur police station where he mentioned traffic congestion following a big assembly of BJP supporters on Sambhunath Pundit Street and other places.
Ms Tibrewal, however, has rubbished the allegations.
The TMC is scared of her contesting the September 30 by-election and in order to stop her from campaigning has registered such a complaint with the Election Commission, the lawyer claimed.
"The Election Commission has sent me a letter after the TMC filed a complaint alleging that I had taken a huge number of people when I had gone to file my nominations and thus violated the Model Code of Conduct as well as Covid protocols. I will reply whatever will be my answer," she said.
"But, I would like to point out that other than Suvendu Adhikari there was no one in the vehicle in which I had gone to file my nomination," she said, adding, the BJP supporters travelled on their own.
"I had not led any crowd. It's not my duty to see who was on the roads on bikes and four-wheelers. It's the job of the police and the local administration," she added.
Priyanka Tibrewal is up against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and CPI(M)'s Srijib Biswas in the bypoll. The votes will be counted on October 3.
Mamata Banerjee will have to win this bypoll to retain her chief minister's post after having lost to her aide-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram in the Assembly elections held earlier this year.