Mamata accused prime minister of trying to influence voters in West Bengal where polling began for the state assembly

Clarion India

KHARAGPUR, WEST BENGAL — West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hit out at PM Narendra Modi, who is on a tour of Bangladesh, saying his trip to the neighbouring state is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

“Elections are underway here and he (PM) goes to Bangladesh and lectures on Bengal. It is a total violation of code of conduct of the election,” Ms Banerjee said at a campaign event in Kharagpur according to news agency ANI.

Mamata accused prime minister of trying to influence voters in West Bengal where polling began for the first phase of eight-phase assembly election Saturday morning.

Modi is on a two-day trip to Bangladesh at a time when West Bengal went to polls on Saturday. Modi was accompanied by BJP MP from West Bengal Shantanu Thakur during his visit to Orakandi.

“In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when a Bangladeshi actor attended our rally, BJP spoke to Bangladesh government and cancelled his visa. When polls are underway here, you (PM) go to Bangladesh to seek votes from one section of people. Why shouldn’t your visa be cancelled? We will complain to the Election Commission,” she said, reports NDTV.

Mamata Banerjee was referring to the PM offering prayers at a temple in Bangladesh’s Orakandi, the birthplace of Hindu mystic figure and Matua community’s spiritual guru Harichand Thakur, earlier in the day.

Orakandi is the abode of hundreds from the Hindu Matua community, a large number of whom are now residents of West Bengal and an important factor in elections.