Kolkata, February 20. In a scathing critique of the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, Congress leader Shubhankar Sarkar has accused the poll body of failing to instill confidence among voters. Speaking exclusively to IANS, Sarkar highlighted the growing unease in the state as assembly elections loom large.
With political tempers flaring ahead of the Bengal polls, both Congress and BJP are staking claims to form the next government, while TMC leaders assert their return to power is inevitable. Sarkar painted a grim picture of deteriorating law and order, pointing to instances where genuine voters’ names are being mysteriously deleted from rolls, creating an atmosphere of fear.
‘TMC had vowed not to allow SIR, but we insisted it should proceed constitutionally,’ Sarkar remarked. He criticized the EC for altering terms mid-process, skipping mandatory BLO training, which he links to tragic incidents like suicides. ‘This isn’t how constitutional processes work,’ he emphasized.
Outlining Congress’s strategy, Sarkar vowed to oust TMC, keep BJP at bay, and restore Congress governance in Bengal. Drawing parallels with Kerala, he predicted a Congress victory there soon, crediting the party’s democratic ethos for its resurgence nationwide.
Recently, senior Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir announced the party will contest all 294 seats independently, ditching any alliance with TMC. ‘Our manifesto, shaped by public consultations on real issues, will be ready in 10 days,’ Mir stated, signaling Congress’s robust preparations for a fiercely contested election.