CJP joins Rahul, says EC 'fixing' on behalf of BJP

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi and the Chairperson of the Coordinating Committee of Parties (CJP), Saurav Das, have criticized the Election Commission's (EC) decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress (TMC) symbol and name, accusing it of being a "fix" on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The two leaders have called for a broader political confrontation to hold the EC accountable, their united front and sharp language hinting at a potential Jantar Mantar-style protest.

Reactions from other political parties followed late in the day. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary, MA Baby, stated to the Times of India that the EC no longer holds any reputation for impartiality, while the CPI(M)-L general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya, called the EC's actions "wrong" and predicted a "walkover-like" scenario for the BJP after the Congress candidate was arrested in connection with the TMC candidate's withdrawal from the Nandigram bypoll on October 6.

Das remarked, "Envelope symbol for TMC defectors. Envelope me bharr ke kya aaya tha? (What came filled in the envelope?)", questioning the contents of the envelope allegedly held by the EC. Rahul Gandhi, for his part, criticized the BJP-Election Commission alliance, noting that it has repeatedly targeted parties by splitting them and altering their symbols, alleging electoral malpractice and declining democratic norms.