Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has been barred from electioneering for 24 hours until 8 pm on Tuesday will resume her campaigning with two rallies in North 24 Parganas for TMC candidates for 5th phase polling to be held on April 17.
Meanwhile, Ms Banerjee has arrived as per her declared plan to sit at a dharna on the base of Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Maidan to protest against the Election Commission order on Monday barring her to campaign for 24 hours for her alleged violation of the election code of conduct. She will sit from 12 noon.The latest report said the Eastern High Command of the Indian Army is yet to sanction the AITC permission for protest dharha as the area is under the Indian Army.
Sources said the AITC's application for the area permission reached the local army headquarters only today in the morning. Ms Banerjee has decided to stage a sit-in protest in the Maidan under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the central part of the city from1200 hours onwards.
Party sources said Ms Banerjee would hold a sit-in protest from 12noonand begin her campaigning after the ban period ends at 8 pm,She would hold two public rallies in North 24 Parganas' Barasat and Bidhannagar.The poll body on Monday imposed a 24-hour ban on her from campaigning 8 pm of April 12 till 8 pm of April 13 for her alleged remarks against central
armed forces and a statement which had alleged religious overtones.
"Commission hereby condemns such statements potent with serious law and order problems across the state (s) and sternly warns Mamata Banerjee and advises her to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of
Conduct is in force," the order said.
The EC action came after the Chief Minister was served two notices last week for violating the model code of conduct. Ms Banerjee had allegedly appealed to the Muslim community to vote for the TMC at a public meeting in Tarakeshwar.(UNI)