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Journalism of Courage
Opposition parties in West Bengal Friday demanded the recall of Election Commission’s Special Observer in the state Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, alleging that he had been a mute spectator to the “mayhem” unleashed by Trinamool Congress in the third phase of elections that took place on April 30.
A delegation of four Left Front parties met Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampat in Delhi and made the demand, while the Congress and the BJP did the same in Kolkata.
“Our agents and candidates could not get Rakesh on telephone, nor through SMS on the day of polling on April 30 despite repeated efforts. We cannot trust him,” state Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. “We demand his withdrawal from the state. It is difficult to hold peaceful election if he continues,” he added.
The BJP said that although it did not demand Rakesh’s recall, it wanted that he take special measures to ensure free and fair election in the state. “We requested Rakesh to ensure that voters could cast their votes in a peaceful manner,” Rahul Sinha, BJP state president, said.
Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, “In Patna, he is a tiger but in Kolkata, he becomes a cat… votes have been looted from the booths. Rakesh is good for nothing. He should be recalled,” Bose said.
Rakesh said he would not make any comment in this regard. The EC said it is examining the matter.
