Shri Badrinath Dham donation row: SIT submits probe report

Kolkata, March 1 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress protested in Hasnabad of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas over “targetted” deletion of names from the final voters’ list, police said on Sunday.

On Saturday night, Trinamool Congress’ local leaders and activists burnt tyres on the road and raised slogans against the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The protesters also burnt an effigy of Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.

The local Lebukhali Road was blocked due to the protest movement. Traffic was also stopped. Later, the police went there and brought the situation under control.

Trinamool Congress leaders and activists claimed that the names of valid voters have been “deliberately removed” from the voters’ list.

“The ECI has selectively targeted minority-dominated booths and removed their names. The names of about 400 minority voters in booth number 111 of Sahapur have been removed from the final list. This conspiracy of the BJP and the Election Commission will not be accepted under any circumstances,” Trinamool Congress alleged.

The final voter list was published in West Bengal on Saturday after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. And as soon as that list came out, anger and protests spread to different parts of the state.

The names of 16,125 voters have been omitted from Basirhat subdivision. The area in Hasnabad where the protest occurred due to the omission of names also falls under the Basirhat South Assembly constituency.

According to local sources, out of a total of 1,065 people in booth number 111 of Sahapur under Basirhat South Assembly, 400 were shown as ‘deleted’ in the final voters’ list.

Shahjahan Moral, Trinamool Congress president of booth number 111 in Sahapur, told local reporters, “The names of about 400 minorities in this booth have been omitted from the voter list published by the Election Commission. However, the names of 120 Hindu voters are there. This was done because it is a minority-dominated booth. We have taken to the streets to protest against this.”

Responding to allegations, Palash Sarkar, president of the BJP’s Basirhat organisational district youth wing, said, “No matter how much the Trinamool takes to the streets to protest or takes to the streets in opposition to the SIR, I want to make it clear that only the names of legal voters will be there. The Trinamool is very angry because the names of illegal voters are excluded from the list which constitute its vote bank.

–IANS

sch/svn

Chennai, May 18 (IANS) In a fresh blow to the AIADMK amid its ongoing internal crisis, former Minister Semmalai on Monday announced his resignation from the party, citing growing dissatisfaction over the party’s functioning and alleging that he had been sidelined for years after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

In a strongly worded statement, Semmalai expressed disappointment over the current state of affairs within the party, saying recent developments had caused him deep mental anguish.

His resignation comes at a time when AIADMK is witnessing increasing factional tensions and public disagreements among senior leaders, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the party’s future direction.

Semmalai alleged that after Jayalalithaa’s demise, several opportunities within the party had been denied to him despite his long-standing contribution and loyalty.

He suggested that deserving leaders and cadres were increasingly being overlooked, creating frustration among many party workers.

The former minister also voiced concern over the public image of the AIADMK, saying the situation had deteriorated to a point where even the media and public discussions were ridiculing the party because of its internal disputes.

He questioned how a party that once stood as a powerful political force in Tamil Nadu had reached such a stage of instability. Referring to the ongoing internal clashes, Semmalai said the developments were painful for cadres who had worked tirelessly for the growth of the party over decades.

Using a sharp metaphor, he remarked, “Camphor may dissolve, but should a party dissolve?” — a statement widely viewed as a criticism of the leadership’s inability to control the deepening crisis within the organisation.

Semmalai’s exit is being seen as another challenge for the AIADMK leadership at a time when the party is already grappling with factional divisions and questions over organisational unity.

Political observers believe his resignation could trigger further debate within the party ranks over leadership, internal democracy and the future course of the organisation.

While the AIADMK leadership had not immediately issued an official response to Semmalai’s announcement, his departure has added another layer of pressure on the party as it attempts to navigate a difficult political phase.

–IANS

aal/dpb