Adhir Ranjan Targets Mamata Banerjee For Skipping Voter Adhikar Yatra, Trinamool Congress Responds

A slugfest has begun between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress over TMC sending a delegation to Bihar to represent Mamata Banerjee's party at Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra.' 

Congress veteran leader and former MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for sending two party leaders instead of attending herself.

On Saturday, while addressing a programme in Kolkata, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Mamata skipped the Bihar visit because she does not want to "pale" in comparison to Rahul Gandhi.

"Hindus, Muslims, Dalit have their voting rights. And Rahul Gandhi is fighting for the protection of everyone's voting rights. When Modi is trying to thwart that fight, when all the opposition leaders of the country are present there to fight, the Bengal Chief Minister does not want to go, because she will pale in comparison to Rahul Gandhi. Which is why she will not go," Chowdhury said.

Yusuf Pathan and Lalitesh Tripathi will represent the Trinamool Congress at the concluding leg of the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar on September 1.

Reacting to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's remarks, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, "It is our decision who will represent the party in the Bihar programme, which already has the support of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. That is why they are sending two of their leaders as representatives. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is feeling pain because Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan is in the delegation. He defeated Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the last Lok Sabha election."

The march, launched by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on August 17, aims to highlight the alleged assault on people's right to vote through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

In Bengal, the Trinamool Congress is also opposing the SIR. Mamata Banerjee's party has already stated it will stop the implementation of SIR in Bengal at any cost.

On Saturday, while speaking to the media, West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar demanded the deployment of central forces if needed for the successful conduct of electoral reforms in the state.

He said, "We expect the Election Commission will take all necessary steps for the success of SIR. If Bengal police fail to give protection to the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), then the Election Commission should summon central forces so that SIR can be done properly."