West Bengal panchayat election 2018: SEC has lost its identity, says BJP

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya today claimed that the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) has lost its identity as it has been functioning under pressure from the ruling Trinamool Congress over conduct of the panchayat election. The SEC has been getting rebuked by the court because of this, Vijayvargiya, the party's in-charge of West Bengal, told reporters here in the district.

"The State Election Commission has lost its identity. It has been functioning under pressure from the ruling Trinamool Congress," said Vijayvargiya who was here for panchayat election campaign. BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha had also alleged on May 6 that State Election Commissioner AK Singh has been receiving threats from the TMC, but Singh had denied the charge.

The SEC has been facing flak of the opposition parties over violence during the panchayat poll nomination process. The opposition parties have even accused Singh of working on behalf of the TMC and the state government and demanded his resignation. The SEC has denied the charge. Vijayvargiya said the BJP has informed the present situation of West Bengal to President Ram Nath Kovind and West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

Vijayvargiya alleged that there is no democracy in the state but "we have full faith in the people of West Bengal". To a question on engaging civic volunteers in panchayat poll security, he claimed that they belong to the ruling party.