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Asked to 'get lost': Trinamool's big claim on meeting with ECI; Derek O'Brien accused of shouting
The TMC claimed that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar asked its representatives to “get lost” at the end of the seven-minute meeting
A meeting between a Trinamool Congress delegation and the Election Commission of India on Wednesday turned contentious, with the TMC alleging it was told to “get lost” during the brief interaction. Meanwhile, the poll panel reportedly said that TMC MP Derek O'Brien was asked to maintain decorum.
The TMC claimed that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar asked its representatives to “get lost” at the end of the seven-minute meeting, while the poll panel accused the delegation of raising their voices and behaving disruptively.
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‘CEC said get lost in first 7 minutes’: Derek O'Brien
Speaking to mediapersons after the meeting, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien said the delegation had submitted letters from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to the CEC. He added that they also flagged specific instances of poll officials allegedly having links with the BJP.
TMC MP Derek O'Brien said, "Today, we went to the Chief Election Commissioner. He told us 'get lost' within 7 minutes of the meeting. The meeting started at 10:02 AM and ended at 10:07 AM," he said.
“When we told him that you are transferring officials, and how you would want to conduct a free and fair election? And then he said, leave from here... What I saw today is a shame. I challenge the Election Commissioner to release the video or audio of what happened today," he said.
"One of our colleagues congratulated him on being the only CEC in India to have notices in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to be removed, and on that issue, today, all like-minded anti-BJP parties together are having a press conference at 4-4:30 in the evening..."
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Election Commission's response
According to PTI, sources within the Election Commission offered a sharply different account, saying the CEC had given a “straight talk” to the TMC leaders. They alleged that O’Brien was shouting at the commissioners and even asked the CEC not to speak.
The sources maintained that the Commission remains committed to ensuring that elections in West Bengal are conducted in a “fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free” manner.
EC warned TMC ahead of polls
The Election Commission has issued a firm warning to the Trinamool Congress ahead of the upcoming West Bengal polls, stressing that the electoral process must remain free from malpractice.
The poll body said the assembly elections in the state should be conducted without “fear, violence, intimidation and inducement,” while cautioning against illegal practices such as booth capturing, booth jamming, and “source jamming” — disruptions in voter mobilisation or access.
“ECI's Straight-talk to Trinamool Congress,” the election authority wrote on X. “This time, the Elections in West Bengal would surely be: Fear-free, Violence-free, Intimidation-free, Inducement-free and without any Raid, Booth Jamming and Source Jamming.”
Why TMC vs EC?
Tensions between the TMC and the EC have increased over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The TMC has alleged that the EC is biased in favour of the opposition BJP to remove voters from the list.
Of the 60 lakh voters placed under adjudication, 27 lakh have been removed, TMC claimed.
West Bengal’s total number of voters now stands at 7,04,59,284 (7.04 crore). These exclude names under adjudication, down from 7,66,37,529 (7.66 crore) before the SIR exercise.
The EC, last week, shifted 483 officials in West Bengal before the Assembly elections, far more than in any other states going to polls. This includes top administrators, police officers, and returning officers.
The TMC opposed the transfers, calling them a power grab, but the EC said they are needed to ensure free and fair elections and avoid repeat post-poll violence like in 2021.
West Bengal votes in two phases: April 23 and April 29. Results will be out on May 4.
