Bengal election: Congress claims permission denied for Rahul Gandhi’s rally

The Congress said that Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to West Bengal on Thursday to campaign for the Assembly elections had to be cancelled after the administration allegedly denied permission, The Telegraph reported.

Gandhi was to address a rally in Kolkata and another in Serampore, unidentified members of the party told the newspaper.

Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar said that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had on April 8 addressed a rally at the venue, The Telegraph reported. “But for Rahul Gandhi’s meeting we did not get permission,” he added.

Sarkar alleged that the party’s candidates were also being denied permission to hold large meetings.

ANI quoted unidentified Congress members as having alleged that the administration and the police were acting at the behest of the state’s Trinamool Congress government and had denied the permissions for Gandhi’s visit.

The West Bengal Police and the administration are reporting to the Election Commission as the Model Code of Conduct is in force in the state for the polls.

The first phase of polling will be held on April 23 and the second on April 29. The votes will be counted on May 4.

While the Trinamool Congress and the Congress are part of the Opposition INDIA bloc at the Centre, they are not contesting the West Bengal polls as allies.

Responding to the alleged...

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