Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, said on Wednesday that central forces in West Bengal have created a whole separate way of running things to influence how people vote. He wants voters to reject officials being misused and said in Lucknow that Banerjee will win the election in the state by a huge margin.
Yadav says this is the first time a complete second system has been set up alongside the state government that is already in place. He says it’s meant to control the election from the very top.
Yadav alleges a parallel chain of command
Yadav explained that central forces now have their own way of giving orders, going from the highest ranking people to what’s happening in each town and city. He describes this as a system working on its own, not with the state government which the people voted for.
He says this setup is to decide the outcome of the election and is an incredibly unusual involvement in the election. He sees it as a problem for how the country is supposed to be run with states and the central government sharing power.
Claims of interference in police appointments
Yadav also says they’re interfering even with the highest ranking police officer, the Director General of Police. He states that people are being told who the DGP should be, and in every district an IPS officer has been put in charge of the local police chief.
He also believes some officials are doing what they’re told, or are being given advantages. According to him, officials in West Bengal have received rewards, been promised things in the future, or are being pressured because of investigations happening now.
He summarised his core allegations as follows:
– A parallel chain of command through central forces
– Suggested names for top police appointments
– IPS officers superseding district police chiefs
– Officials pressured or promised benefits
Link drawn to Uttar Pradesh experience
Yadav draws a comparison to the Rampur Lok Sabha by-election in Uttar Pradesh, where similar things were done. He thinks the same method is now being used in Bengal to change the election.
He cautions that these kinds of setups could be used again in Uttar Pradesh. He encourages people to be aware and careful if these practices start happening again.
Support for Mamata Banerjee and voter message
Yadav is clearly backing Mamata Banerjee; he believes “Didi” will win with a record number of votes and that lots of people in Bengal are voting for her. He says this is the public pushing back against unfair interference.
He asks voters to vote against those officials who are being unfair with their power. He wants people to be on guard against any unfairness during the election.
What he wants voters to do
Yadav outlined his voter message in simple terms:
– Remain vigilant throughout voting
– Oppose misuse of officials at the ballot
– Stay aware of models used to influence polls
Why the claims matter now
Yadav’s accusations bring up important questions about whether the administration and the police are being fair during the election. He is saying that an unusual chain of command is in place, and with this he is questioning how the security forces work with the state government during a very important and close election.
He didn’t say exactly how to fix the problems, but his comments make the election about whether the institutions are behaving properly and whether voters can truly make their own choices. His plea to be watchful indicates the political fight isn’t just in Bengal, and could also affect Uttar Pradesh.
As the election campaigns get more serious, Yadav is presenting the misuse of officials as a major issue. He has linked his warnings to what happened before, told people to be alert immediately, and indicated that the remaining parts of the election will show if people still have faith in the process.
