Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, May 5: West Bengal chief electoral officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Tuesday strongly refuted allegations made by outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asserting that he functions independently and not on behalf of any political party.

Responding to claims that he worked in favour of the BJP during the Assembly elections, Agarwal said he is a public servant who earned his position through merit. “I have cleared UPSC and come here on my own merit. I am here to work for the people, not for any political party,” he stated.

Addressing Banerjee’s allegation that she was physically assaulted at a counting centre, Agarwal said no formal complaint had been received. He added that such an incident would likely have been captured on CCTV and reported through official channels.

Meanwhile, Kalyan Banerjee backed the Chief Minister’s claims, alleging irregularities in vote counting during the elections. He claimed that party counting agents were assaulted and removed by security personnel, raising concerns about transparency.

He also questioned the absence of publicly available CCTV footage from counting centres, arguing that it could have ensured greater accountability. “There has been misappropriation in counting,” he alleged, calling the situation a threat to democratic processes.

The Trinamool Congress has continued to question the role of the Election Commission of India, even as the BJP has emerged victorious in the state polls.

Earlier, Mamata Banerjee had dismissed the idea of resigning voluntarily following the defeat, maintaining that the results did not reflect the true mandate and vowing to continue her political fight.