West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the BJP of spreading “fake news” about her state and demanded a return of ballot boxes in elections.
Following a meeting with party MLAs, MPs and Ministers today, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) boss said that she will launch a door-to-door campaign.
“BJP is trying to spread fake news about West Bengal. TMC will campaign from door to door. Save democracy, we don’t want EVMs, return to ballot. There should be a fact finding committee on EVMs,” she told reporters.
Banerjee reportedly alleged that the BJP tampered with EVMs to win Lok Sabha elections. Stating that EVMs are not used even in the United States, Banerjee said that the campaign against use of EVMs will be run with all political parties opposed to use of the machines.
The TMC chief further claimed that “one lakh machines are missing” and the machines that were changed were “programmed for a party”.
“EVM voting is not the verdict of people,” Banerjee declared.
On Thursday, Banerjee had reportedly “recaptured” a BJP office in Naihati area of North 24 Parganas district, painting her party’s symbol on the office’s saffron wall.
According to the TMC, the office was captured from it by supporters of newly elected BJP MP from Barrackpore Arjun Singh.
The BJP had won 303 seats of the 452 on which Lok Sabha elections were held. The NDA won 353 seats. The BJP had won 282 seats in 2014.
The BJP won 18 seats in West Bengal from 2 in 2014, making it biggest percentage gain in any state. The party has repeatedly accused the TMC for the political violence that singed the state in each of the seven phases of the elections.
Reports say that the Election Commission matched five per cent of Voters Verifiable Paper Trail (VVPAT) slips with the EVM record of polling and the match was 100 per cent in all cases.