Amidst a complaint-ridden assembly polls in West Bengal, the Election Commission on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.
An unfazed Banerjee dared the Commission to take steps against her for threatening to take revenge and said that the people of the state will show cause them on May 19, the day of the election results.
"The Commission has issued a show cause notice to her," the CEC told at a press conference in Kolkata.
"It was brought to our knowledge that she made the promise of creation of a new district of Asansol after which a detailed show cause notice was sent to her," he said.
"She also made some other utterances which violated the model code of conduct," he said, adding, "upon receiving reply from Banerjee, the future course of action will be decided."
Reacting to the Commission's move, Banerjee said, "Just heard that they (EC) have showcaused me because I had said that I will see inch by inch. I have said what I liked, I will again say so, thousand times, crore times, do whatever you (EC) can against me," Banerjee said at an election rally at Suri in Birbhum district.
"What will you do against me? You have transferred my officer, will you transfer me to Delhi? If you bury me here, I will resurface in Delhi. I will react vigorously if you intimidate me," the fiery leader said, challenging the EC.
"They have showcaused me on the very first day of the Bengali New Year, the people will showcause them on May 19," a visibly irritated Banerjee said.
However, when she was asked after the meeting whether she would reply to the show cause notice, the chief minister said, "I have not yet received the letter. My party will decide what to do."
Earlier, she told another meeting at Muraroi, "You (EC) have removed 300/350 OCs. You have removed city police commissioner (Rajiv Kumar). Such a bright commissioner can't be found. You are doing what Congress, BJP and CPIM are saying. Are we not human beings", she said.
Meanwhile, TMC chief national spokesperson Derek O'Brien said that before issuing a show cause notice to her the Commission should have done "some very basic due diligence".
Describing it as "ludicrous", he said, "The decision to make Asansol, Kalimpong, Basirhat, Sunderbans and Jhargram into different districts was taken up in the West Bengal Cabinet in December 2015, four months ago. It was also discussed in the Assembly. This information is in the public domain and is common knowledge".
