May 25, 2019
The Election Commission is the man of the match of this election. It has openly supported the BJP: Mamata Banerjee
Trinamool Congress Chairperson addressed a press conference today after a meeting of senior party leaders. This was the first meeting after the general election.
She expressed her dismay about the fact that the Election Commission openly supported the BJP and was thus the man of the match of this election. Among other things, she announced that the next meeting would be held on May 31.
Highlights of the press conference:
I don’t need the chair of the chief minister. I was ready to step down and only lead the party.
The Election Commission is the man of the match of this election. It has openly supported the BJP.
Our complaints were not heeded to by the Election Commission (EC). Our administration was under it for five months; an emergency situation was created.
Our vote percentage has increased by 4% though we have lost seats.
The BJP has won by spreading communalism – it has won by dividing Hindus and Muslims.
However I don’t believe in dividing people on the basis of religion; I am prepared go alone on this.
The amount of money spent by the BJP during this election beats any scam.
The BJP distributed money with the help of government officers, the Central forces posted here, BSF, and others.
Kolkata and Airport Police heads were changed.
We will fight with all our might but it will be a constructive war, not a destructive war.
We are not like the Congress; we’ll never surrender.
This country is for everybody. I don’t believe in either fundamentalist Hinduism or Islam.
We did not get justice despite complaining against the BJP.
The BJP has invited Pakistan for the inauguration ceremony too. Then why did its leaders call people Pakistanis and Pakistani spies during the elections?
So what you do is all fair and what we do is all wrong. This implies double standards.
We will continue putting forth our opinions on various issues
We were not allowed to work properly as an emergency situation was created.
The BJP has used the Election Commission fully, so much so that the latter almost became a part of the BJP.
The CPI(M) was also given a lot of money, and several media houses were given money too.
A government set up using money power is no democracy at all.
Money was given to people to vote for the BJP – this is how the BJP won the election.
We tried to complain to the Supreme Court, but our complaints were not listened to.
Unless it was about the power of money, there was no way the Opposition could have won so few seats in so many States.
There was some kind of setting, I’m sure of that.
There was the role of other countries too. I won’t say much now. I hope things will come out slowly with the help of the media.
I believe that those who are courageous will speak out and will reveal things.
I am willing to fight alone but I will continue to speak about hard truths as long as I am alive.
All the CPI(M) votes have been transferred to the BJP.
I had already said that ‘jagai’, ‘madhai and ‘bidai’ are together, and I have proved it again this time too.
Elections are over but why has the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) not been withdrawn? The riot in Bhatpara is being continued with the help of the MCC. Other atrocities are being committed elsewhere in Bangla with the help of the MCC, and thus the Central forces, being in place.
Yet the cost of the Central forces is being borne by us after all.
On May 31, we will hold our next meeting.
But whatever the situation is now, it is temporary. The people will again support us in the next elections.
After all, you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
Why is the BJP so hungry for taking over all wings of administration? Democracy demands that you leave something for everybody.
The Panchayat elections were not a factor during this election. There were much more violence in other States like UP and Tripura.
