Bengal Assembly Polls: Mamata Files Nomination Papers, Vows To Fight Voters' Deletion

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee filed her nomination papers from Bhabanipur constituency in south Kolkata on Wednesday for the West Bengal Assembly elections, vowing to carry forward her fight against the deletion of names from the voters' list.

Expressing sympathy for those unable to exercise their democratic rights due to complications in the electoral rolls arising out of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Banerjee issued a stern warning. "If necessary, we would once again approach the courts to ensure the rights of genuine voters are upheld," she said.

Adhering to her itinerary, Banerjee set out on foot from her residence in the Kalighat area at 10:25 am, heading toward the Survey Building in Gopalnagar to file nomination. Crowds of people were on the streets, eager to catch a glimpse of their 'Ghorer Meye' (daughter in the neighbourhood) walking through the alleys.

To convey a strong secular message representing people from all strata of society and all religious faiths, representatives from various linguistic and communal backgrounds were present alongside Banerjee during the submission. She was accompanied by Ismat Hakim, wife of Mayor Firhad Hakim, from the Muslim community, producer Nispal Singh representing the Punjabi community, and a representative from the Gujarati community.

Mamata Banerjee greets the gathering after filing her nomination papers in Bhapanipur on Wednesday. (ETV Bharat)

After completing the formalities, she told reporters that out of the 12 million names (1.2 crore) currently under review in the SIR list, only 3.2 million (32 lakh) can vote. "Despite the Supreme Court's orders, the status of 5.8 million (58 lakh) names remains unresolved. Barring a negligible number of fraudulent or deceased voters, a vast number of people would be deprived of exercising their franchise," she said.

Recalling those unable to cast their votes, she said, "Genuine voters, including approximately 2.7 million (27 lakh) people whose cases are currently under adjudication, must not be deprived of their franchise under any circumstances. The Supreme Court has already affirmed that everyone listed in the adjudication rolls is valid. Yet they are unable to vote in this election. Their right to vote must be granted."

Although she made it clear that the courts have directed that the rights of genuine voters must be safeguarded through the tribunal process, she questioned the utility of having those rights affirmed later if one is denied the opportunity to vote in the present election.

"To ensure transparency in this matter, we would, if necessary, once again pursue legal recourse and return to the courts to restore the voting rights of the common people," she added.

Sharing her deep and spiritual bond with Bhabanipur, she said, "My faith, my work, my identity, my political struggles —everything revolves around this very Bhabanipur." She noted that the genesis of every political and social endeavour in her life can be traced back to this very locality.

Extending her respect to people of all linguistic backgrounds, the Trinamool Supremo concluded her public outreach for the day by offering greetings like "Jai Jinendra," "Bhai Chho," "Sat Sri Akal," and "Namaskar" to those present.

She also issued a fervent appeal to the people of the state to ensure a victory for the Trinamool Congress. "I appeal to the people — not merely here in Bhabanipur, but in all 294 assembly constituencies of Bengal — to ensure a resounding victory for the Trinamool Congress," she added.

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