'Stay alert': Mamata Banerjee’s midnight message to Trinamool workers ahead of counting

Kolkata, May 4 (IANS) Hours before the beginning of the counting for the two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal on Monday, Chief Minister and the Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee issued a post-midnight message to her party workers to "stay alert" before and during the counting process.

“Stay alert. Be on the guard. Stay awake at night. Register complaints,” the Chief Minister said in her social media message posted after 1 a.m.

According to her, she and her party leadership have been getting messages that power cuts are being done in a planned manner at various places in the state.

According to her, such reports have surfaced from Sreerampore in Hooghly district, Krishnanagar in Nadia, Aushgram in Burdwan and Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata, where load-shedding is being carried out in phases.

“CCTVs are being switched off, and vehicles are moving in the strong room. I appeal to my party workers that just as I am keeping a watchful eye on all matters, you too should stay awake at night to guard the people's votes in the strong room. If anyone creates a suspicious situation anywhere, surround them, immediately complain and demand CCTV footage. All this is being done at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” the Chief Minister’s social media statement read.

Earlier, on Sunday evening, she held a meeting with Trinamool Congress’ counting agents for the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, where this time she is pitted against the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.

In the meeting, party insiders aware of the development said that she gave last-minute instructions to her counting agents on how to remain alert within the counting room till the last.

“In the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the victory of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and her victory from Bhabanipur were 100 per cent assured this time. She also said that, although in the initial rounds of counting, a trend might emerge that the opposition is leading. But ultimately, Trinamool Congress will win,” said a party leader aware of the developments at the meeting.

--IANS

src/dpb