Kolkata: It is raining showcause notices in West Bengal.
BJP MP from Asansol and Union minister of state Babul Supriyo was the first to be served showcause notice by the Election Commission.
The singer-turned-politician was asked to submit why a BJP theme song mocking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was not a violation of code of conduct.
The song goes like this ‘Ei Trinamool ar na…ar na… (This TMC is no longer need).
He said making songs for the election is nothing new, adding the party has not violated the model code of conduct.
Supriyo, who wrote and sang the theme song, said BJP leaders have submitted their defence to the EC.
During the recording of the song in Mumbai, some lines went viral and that is how the EC took note of it.
He said the song will be released soon after a few tweaks, adding it was only highlighting atrocities of the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal.
The people of Bengal have seen a lot of atrocities and violence but couldn’t react due to the fear of losing lives, he alleged.
“Our theme song is basically the inner voice of the common people of Bengal,” is Supriyo's defence.
The EC has also served notice to Asansol Municipal Corporation Mayor and Trinamool Congress Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal, senior cabinet minister Firhad Hakim, minister Rabindranath Ghosh, Mondal and TMC leader Jitendra Tiwari.
The showcause notice follows complaints by state BJP vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar and BJP MP Roopa Ganguly that the TMC leaders had offered financial sops to its councillors. who 'manages to maintain leads' for the party in their wards.
This amounts to 'buying votes',' the BJP leaders alleged.
They also slammed Hakim’s statement terming Tiwari’s comment as 'allocation of councillor’s fund'.
Babul Supriyo said the remarks reflect the TMC culture and how the party conducts elections in the state.
During the campaign of Asansol Trinamool candidate Moon Moon Sen, Tiwari had reportedly said in Jamuria that the councillors who will be able to maintain a lead over 5,000 will be rewarded with Rs 1 crore.
He had even the break up of leads and the sops: Leads over 3,000 leads would be rewarded with Rs 50 lakh, followed by 2,000 plus leads with Rs 30 lakh and 1,000 plus lead with Rs 10 lakh.
The rider is that those who would fail to do so, including him, would have to resign after elections.
TMC’s Birbhum district president, Anubrata Mondal had been under EC scanner for several remarks including threatening opposition parties with dire consequences in the area, serving sweets to central and para military forces during route marches.
Incidentally, Rabindranath Ghosh, a Trinamool minister from North Bengal, had reportedly said during a campaign rally that voters must cast their votes in favour of Trinamool Congress as the “central forces will not be present”.
The EC has sought an explanation from all these leaders within 48 hours.
BJP list
Meanwhile, the BJP is yet to zero in on its candidates. Party sources said it is taking time as it has many aspirants for 42 seats in the state.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh who is in in Delhi to sort out the list says the BJP list will ‘surprise everyone’.
“We will pitch the best candidates. It will surprise everyone. We will soon play our winning stroke and will win more than our target in Bengal,” Ghosh said.
But political observers say faction fighting is delaying the list.
The BJP's central election committee has so far held three meetings to sort out issues.
