Election Commission should issue letter to Mamata Banerjee for challenging it: CPI-M

KOLKATA: CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra today lashed out at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, saying the Election Commission should issue a letter to her for "challenging" it.

"The way she is challenging the EC, the Commission should issue letter to her. If needed the EC can defer the election. It has powers," Mishra, who is the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, told a press conference.

Referring to Commission's show-cause notice to the West Bengal Chief Minister yesterday, Mishra, who is also a CPI(M) Politburo member, said "I don't know what letter was issued to her. But the issue which was mentioned was small."

CEC Nasim Zaidi had said here yesterday that a show-cause notice was sent to her as she had promised "creation" of a new district of Asansol at an election meeting.

"She also made some other utterances which violated the model code of conduct," he had said.

Mishra said, "We don't know what the Commission can do to her. It is their matter. Earlier she used to scare the people. Now she is scaring the EC.

"But we asked the people to safeguard their rights with all their might. We don't depend on anyone. We depend on the people.

"She said she would seek answer inch by inch but the people are giving reply to her in feet through ballots," the CPI-M leader added.