PM Modi strongly criticised Trinamool and Mamata Banerjee at the election rally in Krishnanagar. (File photo)
Highlights
- PM Modi hits out at West Bengal CM for criticising poll panel
- In a match, everyone must respect the umpire: PM Modi
- Mamata Banerjee criticised poll panel for holding elections in 6 phases
Mamata Banerjee and her party have conceded defeat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, hitting out at the West Bengal Chief Minister for criticising the Election Commission at an election rally in Krishnanagar today. This is his strongest criticism of Ms Banerjee since he came to power two years ago.
"That is why they are not fighting political parties, they are fighting the Election Commission. All of us should follow the rules," PM Modi said taking a dig at the Trinamool Congress chief as another part of Bengal voted in 56 constituencies on Sunday. "Elections will come and go Didi. But, if institutions fall it will be very difficult to rebuild them," he said.
"Arey Didi, EC is an independent organisation, its reputation is clean. In a match every team should respect the umpire," Mr Modi said.
Ms Banerjee had taken on the election commission at a rally in Murshidabad on Friday and earlier criticised its decision to hold the assembly elections in the state in six phases.
"I have read somewhere that (on) the notice given to Mamata ji, the reply was given was by the chief Secretary. The notice is given to Mamata ji as a candidate not as the Chief Minister of Bengal. If this has happened then you have misused government power," Mr Modi said.
The TMC hit back saying, "Did the Prime Minister get his facts wrong? Or was he lying?"
"The letter from the EC is a public document. The tech-savvy (Narendra) Modi could have read it even online," it said in a statement this evening. The poll commission's letter was addressed to the chief minister and not her party, it said, adding, "So the Chief Secretary replying to a letter addressed to the Chief Minister is in order."
The EC had served a notice on Ms Banerjee saying she had violated the code of conduct by announcing a new district. The Chief Minister had responded at an election rally by saying, "On the first day of the Bengali new year, the Election Commission has sent me a showcause notice over things I had said. I will say it again, I will say it a thousand times."