Kolkata: A delegation of six TMC MPs met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra over bypoll issue at the national capital on Thursday.
Addressing the media, TMC MP Sudip Bandhopadhyay claimed that the meeting ended on a positive note.
“We have submitted a memorandum before the Chief Election Commissioner and while going through it he asked us about the Covid situation in West Bengal. I have told him that it is below two per cent. Hopefully after reviewing the Covid situation he will announce the date,” stated Sudip.
Another TMC MP Saugata Roy said bypoll in seven seats have to be conducted within six months.
“We met the full bench of the Election Commission and we are happy with their approach. Bypoll in four seats was necessary, now it is necessary for seven seats as two candidates died during the election and another candidate had resigned,” said Saugata.
Asked whether they spoke anything about Rajya Sabha to which Saugata said that they only spoke about bypolls.
Notably, though the matter is subjudice, Mamata Banerjee had lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram seat and if the bypoll is not conducted within six months of the declaration of the results, then Mamata Banerjee will have to step down from her post.
It is pertinent to say that election of Murshidabad’s Jangipur and Samshergunj was cancelled earlier due to the death of the candidates by being affected by Covid.
Later, due to the second wave of Covid along with two Assembly seats five more Assembly seats were attached. Dinhata, Khardaha, Shantipur, Gosaba and Bhawanipore seat will now go for bypolls.
Meanwhile, staying firm on their demands, West Bengal BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said that the TMC should first conduct civic polls instead of running for bypolls.
“Mamata Banerjee is afraid that she would have to step down from her post for which they are demanding bypoll but the TMC should actually hold civic polls which are due for over a year,” said Sayantan.
