EC's Bengal action under pressure from Centre: Mayawati

Rallying behind Mamata Banerjee, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah of targeting the West Bengal chief minister as part of a conspiracy and said it reflected a 'dangerous attitude'.

A day after the Election Commission curtailed campaigning in West Bengal, Mayawati charged that the poll body acted under pressure of the central government.

Addressing a press conference here, she said, "Everyday we are getting some kind of news from Bengal for which the BJP and RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) are responsible."

"As far as election-related violence is concerned there, it can be seen clearly that BJP and the government led by PM Narendra Modi and his chela (follower) BJP president Amit Shah, under a planned conspiracy, have been targeting the Mamata Banerjee government," Mayawati said.

"During Lok Sabha elections, Mamata Banerjee and her government are being targeted under a conspiracy to divert peoples attention from failures of the Modi government," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister charged.

The manner in which the 'guru' and 'chela' are after the Mamata Banerjee government is also indicative of a 'dangerous attitude which is not only wrong but unjustified', she said.

"Such a conspiracy to defame Mamata Banerjee and her government is unbecoming of a PM," she said.

Coming down hard on the poll body, she said, "It is unfortunate that the Election Commission acted under pressure of the Centre in curtailing electioneering in West Bengal while the PM could address two rallies today".

It is now clear that under the present Chief Election Commissioner, Lok Sabha polls are not being held in a totally free and fair manner, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister told reporters in Lucknow.

The Election Commission curtailed campaigning in West Bengal under pressure of central government, she further charged.

The Election Commission on Wednesday ordered campaigning in nine West Bengal constituencies to end at 10 pm on Thursday, a day before its scheduled deadline, in the wake of violence between Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress workers in Kolkata.

Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar had said that it was for the first time that such an action has been taken using constitutional powers of the poll panel.

The EC's action came after parts of Kolkata witnessed widespread violence during BJP president Amit Shah's massive road show in the city.

A bust of 19th century Bengali icon Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar was also vandalised during the violence.

The order said it has been brought to the notice of the Commission that there have been growing incidents of disruption and violence during the political campaigns and processions in West Bengal during the ongoing elections.

The EC invoked Article 324 of the Constitution to curtail the campaigning for the last phase of the election on May 19.