Kolkata, May 1 (BNP): West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday issued a stern warning against any attempt to tamper with the vote counting process, hours after she made a late-night visit to an EVM strongroom in Bhabanipur alleging possible malpractice ahead of the May 4 counting.
Banerjee reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial School on Thursday night and remained inside the premises for nearly four hours along with her election agent. The strongroom houses Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the April 29 polling.
Emerging from the centre shortly after midnight, she stressed the need for strict transparency in the counting process.
“Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of CCTV cameras for the media,” Banerjee told reporters.
Emphasising the importance of safeguarding public mandate, she said, “People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated.”
She also alleged that central security personnel initially prevented her from entering the premises.
The development came amid heightened political activity in the state, with TMC leaders intensifying vigilance over strongrooms ahead of counting day.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate Firhad Hakim reached the venue but was unable to meet Banerjee.
“I came after learning that the chief minister had arrived. However, I could not meet her as she was already inside the premises exercising her right as a candidate to inspect the strongroom,” Hakim said.
In a parallel protest, TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in outside Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored there. The protest led to tense exchanges between TMC and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party workers, leaders, and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil outside all EVM strongrooms across the state.
The developments have added to the charged political atmosphere in West Bengal following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with all major parties closely monitoring arrangements ahead of the crucial counting day on May 4.
