Transfer of police won’t help BJP, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday declared that the transfer of police officers would not help the BJP anyway in the Lok Sabha Elections. She made it clear that all the officers belonged to the state and they would work according to the state government.

Addressing an election campaign rally at Chopra in North Dinajpur a day before the first phase of the polls the West Bengal chief minister said, “Can the election be held through transfer of officers? All the officers are ours. Remember all the state government officers work according to the state government. Keep it in mind that this is our government.”

She claimed, “Nothing happens by changing the officers. The officers do not give votes. It is the public who give their votes. Do not listen to anyone. If anyone comes from New Delhi and uses force, he will leave after two days. Then only you will remain here. And our administration will be there. You need to be neither scared nor worried.”

Ms Banerjee’s assertion came a day after the Election Commission transfered superintendent of police (Cooch Behar) Abhishek Gupta.

Meanwhile special central police observer Vivek Dube held a meeting with IPS officer Amit Kumar Singh, who replaced Mr Gupta, on the security arrangement for the polls.

In the morning Mr Singh said, “According to the criteria, we have tried to accommodate as much as paramilitary forces in around 700 critical polling stations. A total of 45 companies will be deployed at the booths, one company will be posted at the strong room and another as quick response team.”