SC ruling on counting staff for Bengal polls crumbled TMC's bid to seize power unfairly: BJP

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court on Saturday refused to interfere with a Calcutta High Court decision on the deployment of Central employees for vote counting in West Bengal, the BJP claimed that the Trinamool Congress' attempt to seize power by "unfair means" has completely crumbled now.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that the Trinamool approached the top court challenging the Calcutta High Court order out of frustration and desperation after sensing its imminent defeat in the state polls, the results of which will be declared on Monday.

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The remarks followed after the Supreme Court said that no further order was necessary on the Trinamool's plea challenging the high court's dismissal of its petition against an Election Commission (EC) circular on the deployment of Central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.

A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting staff, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.

"The Supreme Court's decision is constitutionally appropriate. But the TMC's move to approach the top court with baseless allegations as grounds of its plea raises grave questions on the party's intentions," Trivedi told reporters.

It was a proof of the TMC's "restlessness and desperation" ahead of the counting day on May 4 as the party has lost people's trust completely in West Bengal, the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.

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"When someone has a problem with peaceful polling without any violence or killing, it becomes evident that attempts to seize power through violence, coercion, intimidation and terror are crumbling," he said.

Trivedi also claimed that the Trinamool approached various courts more than 80 times in the past 10-12 years by "misusing constitutional instruments", and every time it had to face a "humiliating defeat".

"This not only reflects their political frustration but also demonstrates a lack of faith in constitutional mechanisms and a desire to misuse them," he alleged.

Polling to the 294 Assembly seats in Bengal was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The results will be out on Monday.