“ECI Is Biased”: Mamata Banerjee Slams Denied Rally Permission in Collin Lane

KOLKATA — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, alleging that the poll body is showing favoritism toward the Prime Minister while obstructing her campaign.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo claimed the ECI denied her permission for a public meeting in the Collin Lane area, despite allegedly granting clearance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event in the same vicinity within a six-hour window.

Allegations of Sabotage

Addressing a rally in the Jorasanko constituency, Banerjee expressed her frustration over what she termed as “deliberate delays” and administrative hurdles.

• The Permission Row: “I was explicitly told by the Commission that they would not grant me permission,” Banerjee stated. “You deny me, yet you prioritize the Prime Minister’s meeting almost immediately.”

• Airport Delays: The Chief Minister also alleged that “cherry-picked” officers at the airport kept her flight waiting on the runway for 30 minutes on Monday. She drew parallels to similar flight delays reportedly experienced by Jharkhand leader Hemant Soren.

• Democratic Revenge: Banerjee accused a specific BJP leader on poll duty of harassing local citizens, vowing that the TMC would “take revenge democratically” through the ballot box.

A High-Voltage Contest

The controversy erupts just as West Bengal prepares for its 294-member Assembly election. The state is currently a battlefield between the incumbent TMC, seeking a fourth term, and a resurgent BJP.

While the TMC and BJP remain the primary contenders, the Congress-Left alliance is also attempting to gain ground after failing to win any seats in the 2021 elections. As the first phase of polling begins tomorrow, these allegations of administrative bias are expected to further polarize the electorate in the final hours of campaigning.