Mamata alleges rigging by CPI-M in West Bengal

Kolkata, May 17 : Alleging that the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had indulged in rigging in several West Bengal Lok Sabha constituencies, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Sunday threatened to move the Election Commission and take legal action against the state's ruling party.

Claiming that the CPI-M had rigged the polls in Keshpur assembly segment of the Ghatal parliamentary constituency, Banerjee said: 'We won in five of the segments. But the CPI-M took a lead of more than one lakh (100,000) from Keshput alone through rampant rigging. They also rigged in Sabong and parts of Debra segments.'

'We will challenge the elections in Keshpur. The presiding officer's diary and counting sheet are not tallying. We will take legal action and also take it up with the Election Commission,' Banerjee told reporters here.

The Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance won 26 of the 42 seats in the state, badly mauling the CPI-M led Left Front, which got only 15. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured one seat.

Banerjee claimed the CPI-M also terrorised voters and perpetrated violence in the first phase of the elections April 30.

'Had there been no terror in the first phase, the CPI-M would have been wiped out. In the second and third phases, people resisted. That's why the people could vote.'

The Left Front won 10 of the 14 seats that went to polls in the first phase.

Banerjee alleged that her party also lost several seats as the BJP cut into the anti-Left votes. 'Why do people vote for the BJP? I appeal to the people not to vote for the BJP in future.'

Amid reports of political clashes from several parts of the state, Banerjee instructed her party workers not to take out any victory procession.

Expressing happiness with the results, Banerjee said: 'Fighting against state-sponsored terrorism, the Trinamool won 20 seats (including one by alliance partner SUCI). There are many other regional parties. But nobody has such a record.'