Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday urged Trinamool Congress workers to remain vigilant against what she termed "EVM capture" and alleged that complaints of power outages were coming from EVM strongrooms after the first phase of assembly elections in the state.
Allegations of Power Cuts and Malicious Intent
Addressing rallies in Bhowanipore, where she is contesting, Banerjee said, "Look at the Election Commission! It is your job to ensure EVMs are not captured. Why is there so much load-shedding? This is clearly an indication of malicious intent. I urge you not to fall into their trap."
Reference to 2021 Nandigram Defeat
The Chief Minister recalled that in the 2021 assembly elections, she was leading by 4,000 votes in Nandigram before a power cut occurred at the counting center. After power supply resumed, the trend reversed, and she eventually lost the seat to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari by less than 2,000 votes. Banerjee has challenged the result in the Calcutta High Court, and the matter remains sub judice.
Call for Voter Vigilance
Banerjee urged voters to cast their votes and be cautious of potential EVM tampering. "Everyone must cast their vote. They will try to tamper with EVMs. If a machine malfunctions, come back to vote again. Do not vote in a machine that has previously malfunctioned. Every EVM must be thoroughly checked. Central forces will try to capture EVMs; they are influenced by the EC. Let them do whatever they want. Women should protect EVMs from the poll day until the counting ends," she said at her rallies on Sunday.
Attack on Amit Shah
Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister said, "The HM uses foul language. He is scared. He thinks he will win by spreading fear. Do remember we know how to fight back if you try to stoke fear."
