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Assets & Wealth of Mamata Banerjee have plummeted over the last five years (2016-2021) by 45 %

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The first phase of West Bengal election 2021 began today. In this regard, it is worthwhile to take a look at the picture of the changing levels of wealth of various leaders from parties like TMC and BJP that are contesting the election.

In the last five years, the personal wealth & assets of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has shrunk by about 45 percent. Out of the 20 MLAs who won the last assembly elections and were re-elected in the second round, only three have less property than they had before. Out of these three, Chief Minister Banerjee is again in the first place on the basis of plummeting level of property & wealth as a percentage value.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

The affidavit that CM-Banerjee had submitted when she was a candidate from Bhabanipur Centre in the 2016 assembly election showed that the total amount of assets including movable and immovable categories was 30 lakh 45 thousand rupees. For the ongoing election, where she is contesting from Nandigram Assembly constituency, the affidavit submitted by CM Banerjee, shows her total assets at Rs 16 lakh 72 thousand. As compared to five years ago, her wealth has decreased by 13 lakh 72 thousand rupees.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

The report released by the voluntary organization West Bengal Election Watch analyzing the affidavits of the candidates for the second round of elections has mentioned that the Chief Minister’s wealth & resources have decreased. Mamata Bhuiyan, a Trinamool MLA from Daspur, follows the Chief Minister in terms of percentage of wealth-reduction. Her wealth has decreased by 37 percent. The wealth of Sukumar Dey, Trinamool MLA from Nandakumar, has decreased by 36 percent.

According to the report, the wealth & assets of the remaining 17 MLAs who have become candidates in the second round of voting have increased. The wealth of the chief minister’s main rival in Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari has increased by about 68 percent. According to his affidavit for the 2016 assembly election, his total assets were at 62 lakh 60 thousand rupees. It has increased and surged to 1 crore 5 lakh 52 thousand rupees.

Some have even boomed up their wealth in a three-four digit figure of percentage in five years. CPM MLA from Panskura East, Sheikh Ibrahim Ali’s wealth has increased by 2141 percent. His total assets mentioned in the affidavit for the 2016 election were at around Rs 49,000. That has increased to 10 lakh 64 thousand rupees prior to this year’s election. Wealth of CPM’s Sonamukhi MLA has increased by 642 percent. According to the affidavit submitted for the 2016 election, his total assets were 1 lakh 24 thousand rupees, which has increased to 8 lakh 1 thousand rupees.

Candidates are required to separately state in their affidavits the amount of assets of their spouse and two dependents in addition to their own details. This report of WB Election Watch has revealed the total amount of assets of the candidates. Dr. Ujjwaini Halim, is the State coordinator of the West Bengal Election Watch, which brought out this analytical insight into the increase and contraction of assets of various MLAs in the state.

According to the report of the organization, BJP MLA Bharti Ghosh of Debra has the highest amount of wealth among the candidates for the second round of polling. The total assets of the former police officer are at Rs 19 crore 21 lakh. Kakdwip’s BJP candidate Dipankar Jana is in second place. His total assets stand at Rs 14 crore 41 lakh rupees. He is in the first place in terms of annual income (2 crore 18 lakh rupees). In terms of wealth, Aroop Chakraborty, the Trinamool candidate from Taldangra, is in third place ( Rs 8 crore 82 lakh). He is in second place in terms of income.

Actor Soham Chakraborty, Chandipur’s Trinamool candidate, is in third place in terms of income. Nirmal Dhara, the BJP candidate from Indus, is in the third position in terms of lower wealth. His total wealth is only 1700 rupees. Out of the total 171 candidates in the second phase, 26 can be technically called Crorepatis in terms of assets, with 11 of them in Trinamool and 10 in BJP.

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Blaming Election Commission to be biased, delegation from TMC made specific demands

Election Commission of India, which was once reformed by TN Seshan (in early 1990s) is now facing serious questions over its legitimacy as an organization which coordinates the national and state elections. On one hand, it claimed that the responsibility of the security of CM Mamata Banerjee, falls on Director of Security, an officer under the administrative control of the West Bengal police, and on the other hand, it decided that polling stations in the state-election would be no-man’s land for the state police.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

Election Commission & TMC have had a troubling relationship of late, with the ruling party in West Bengal having continuously questioned the commission’s decisions. TMC has also accused the poll-body of acting in favour of the BJP.

The poll-body was also blamed by TMC in a memorandum submitted to the ECI, that highlighted that the partisan and biased approach of the ECI has made “free, fair and transparent elections” in West Bengal a distant reality.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Another letter, which was signed by TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Saugata Roy and Mahua Moitra as well as former BJP leader and Union minister Yashwant Sinha, who recently joined the party, stated, “It is becoming increasingly clear that free, fair and transparent elections in the state of West Bengal is becoming a distant reality. This is evident from the partisan and biased approach taken by the EC in respect of the ongoing elections in the state.”

TMC has expressed indignation at reports which suggested that the Election Commission has decided to not allow state police within 100 metres of the polling stations, making the sites a no-man’s land for the state police.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

In this regard, the letter from the TMC delegation further added, “It has been reported in the media that the EC has decided to not permit the presence of state police within 100 metres of polling stations and only deploy Central Forces in such an arena. If true, this decision is unprecedented and casts severe aspersions on the reputation of the police administration in the state of West Bengal.”

In its defence, sources in the polling body have stated that the given instruction from the ECI is meant for the civic police, made up of  civic volunteers who are deployed in aid of the state police. The TMC-delegation also asked for a proper coordination between state police and central forces at polling-stations to ensure a free & fair election.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

TMC also has demanded the election commission for the tally of all VVPAT machines, which the delegation claimed has been summarily dismissed. In this matter, the letter from TMC added, “It may be noted that the very purpose of installing VVPAT machines are considerable cost has deliberately been made redundant and ineffective. We may remind you, that not only was the said judgement primarily meant for the 2019 general elections but that the law insists that every time EVMs are used, there must be a sui generis consideration of facts, circumstances and necessities.”

In 2019, the Supreme Court had dismissed a writ petition which had sought 100% random physical counting of the EVM-VVPAT in the LS polls. The Supreme Court had also refused to hear and delve into the issue of EVM programming, where the review plea had contended that Indian democracy could not be left to the mercy of EVM programmers.

Schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27 to April 29 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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Uncomfortable questions on PMCARES and DeMo launched by Mamata Banerjee at Khejuri rally

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In the run-up to election of West Bengal 2021, Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on BJP over the PM-CARES fund, at an election rally held in the Khejuri district on Saturday.

At another rally in Panskura, she took potshots at the BJP-camp stating that the party is not getting “proper candidates” for the coming polls and is therefore nominating its MPs in assembly seats.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

At the Khejuri poll rally, TMC (Trinamool Congress) supremo said, “If a common man steals ₹500 then he is called a ‘tolabaaz’. What do we call the BJP government who stole crores of Rupees? ‘Tolabaaz’s feudal landlord’ ?”

CM Banerjee levelled similar allegations against the saffron party at a public meeting earlier in the day in Haldia.  There she had said, “Is BJP a political party? It is a disgusting party in India. Even BJP girls are not safe in the BJP party. See who is in what condition with the news. The evil deeds of their leaders will come out. BJP is the biggest Tolabaaz in India.”

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

In the rally at Khejuri, CM Mamata Banerjee also took a jibe at BJP joinee & TMC-turncoat Suvendu Adhikari stating that she was relieved that “Mir jafars” (traitors) have quit her party. She also alleged that BJP has stolen several lakh crores of rupees from the common people of the country by “selling” the Railways, BSNL and banks, further alleging that Modi has stolen money meant for COVID-19 management.

She also added, “BJP must clear the air over the fate of the demonetisation money and PM Cares fund. People want to know.”

Schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27, 2021 to April, 29, 2021 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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In Sonachura, Nandigram, people hurled slogans calling Suvendu Adhikari Mir Jafar

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In Sonachura, a village in Nandigram region, the vehicle of Suvendu Adhikari was surrounded by the supporters of Mamata Banerjee. The TMC-cadres and supporters of Mamata Banerjee started shouting slogans against Suvendu Adhikari calling him Mir Jafar.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Earlier, Mamata Banerjee at a rally in East Midnapore, had severely castigated BJP saying, “Bid farewell to BJP, we do not want BJP. We do not want to see Modi’s face. We do not want riots, loots, Duryodhan, Durshasana, Mir Jafar.” Taking a jibe at the leaders who defected to BJP from TMC, CM Banerjee termed the mass exodus as a good riddance, and called the defectors traitors.

CM Mamata Banerjee had recently upped the ante against her former protégé, Adhikari. At the rally in Tamluk area in East Midnapore, she added that her care for Adhikari was blind and that she will no more tolerate any gaddar (traitor) & that there is no place for Mir Jafars in the party.

CM-Mamata Banerjee also highlighted that the fate of people like Modi and Amit Shah in 2024 LS-elections would be decided by the West Bengal 2021 election.

Suvendu, in his campaign praised the vaccination drive initiated by PM, and again unsurprisingly brought in the name of Pakistan while criticizing the opposition.

The schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27, 2021 to April, 29, 2021 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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Mamata’s 10-point manifesto covers free ration to student credit card

As the elections in India scheduled for 2021 are approaching nearer, West Bengal CM- Mamata Banerjee released the election manifesto of the party which she leads, i.e. AITC, the Trinamool Congress. The manifesto enlists 10 main promises or the 10 Angikar.

One of the prominent among the 10 promises is that of a credit card with a limit of Rs 10 lakh at 4 percent interest rate.  As part of promoting state government’s help in education, Mamata stated that the government would be the guarantor for the education. There is also the proposition of minimum monthly income guarantee for the women. The manifesto also speaks about provision of free ration to 16 million people, to be given at their doorsteps.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

In the manifesto, there are also the promises about providing five lakh jobs by making the state the fifth largest economy in the country. The state government is also planning to set up 10 lakh new MSMEs and about 2000 new big industrial units.  The manifesto of  TMC proposed a few days before the beginning of the state elections in India also speaks among others, about offering subsidized canteen facilities, doubling of the state-health expenditure and establishment of an university in Nandigram, the site of an important electoral fight between Mamata and her former protege Suvendu Adhikari.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Apart from the manifesto, CM & TMC supremo-Mamata Banerjee is rallying incessantly at various places. At one such rally, Mamata seating in a wheelchair scorned out at the centre for not allowing the state governments who are willing to pay, to dole out free vaccines. In that rally, she also asked the supporters of the former Left front government to vote for TMC and to not waste their votes.

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TMC goes all guns blazing for election- huge crowds at Jhalda and Balrampur rallies led by Mamata Banerjee-scanty crowd at Purulia rally of BJP

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Huge ground-swelling crowds were seen at the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meetings in Jhalda and Balrampur. After being attacked in Nandigram, Chief Minister held the first meeting at Jhalda for Baghmundi assembly constituency on Monday. In that meeting, the crowd had literally no space left empty. Lots of people were seen standing on the roof, on the sidewalk, listening to the CM’s speech. They stood for a long time even under the scorching-hot Sun. The enthusiasm of the TMC-activists in today’s meeting was eye-catching. After Jhalda, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee held a meeting in Balrampur. The cheering from the crowd was so loud that many people stood in their places and tried to come nearer to the stage to listen to Mamata’s speech.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days getting closer

Recently, Amit Shah had to cancel his rally at Jhargram over a technical reason, which was actually due to the poor attendance at the BJP rally organized at the place, as confirmed by local sources. The rally of Adityanath held at Purulia also witnessed barren or ‘next to nil’ participation with organizers shouting over mikes for the few people attending to stay back.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

CM Banerjee held a meeting in support of Trinamool candidate Sushant Mahato of Baghmundi Assembly constituency at Jhalda Junior High School ground and then in support of Trinamool candidate Shantiram Mahato of Balrampur. This was the first public meeting of the Trinamool Supremo after being attacked in Nandigram. Although the public meeting had started at 1:30 pm afternoon, numerous processions had started arriving from 10 am onwards. Before the arrival of the Chief Minister, the meeting place was filled to the full capacity, upto the brim.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

As soon as the Chief Minister’s helicopter appeared in the sky, the crowd greeted the Chief Minister by cheering, waving their hands, and clapping. Sitting in a wheelchair, she got off the helicopter. Seeing her, the activists started cheering “Didi, Didi”, resembling a loud uproar. Sitting in a wheelchair, the Chief Minister climbed the stage with a ramp.

A local resident at Jhalda, Ramakrishna Soren, 80, had arrived at the meeting place to meet the Chief Minister. Adding a rhetoric, Ramakrishna said, “We never thought about what Didi did for Jangalmahal. The list of developments is much longer. She did many things before we even asked for them. She came to us with a broken leg, and we cannot fight for her in our own village?”

Sarita Layek, Tapan Layek, and Sadhana Chopra among many others were listening to the speech of their Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee) standing under the smoldering Sun on the roof of the house next to the meeting place. They said, “Didi has brought development for everyone. She thinks for the poor. So we want Didi again for the good of the common people and the poor.”

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

On the same day, the Chief Minister held a public meeting in support of Shantiram Mahato at Balrampur. As there was no empty-place available in the filled-up meeting place, many people stood on the side Purulia-Barakar road and listened to the speech of the Trinamool Supremo. At the public meeting, all the students, youths, and women raised the slogan of ‘Khela hobe’. As soon as the Chief Minister got up on the stage in a wheelchair, the women & all the supporters greeted her with loud reverberating shouts. The meeting place of Bengal CM was buzzing and booming with the repetitions of the slogan- “Bangla nijer meyek chae” translating into “Bengal wants its own daughter”.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared at the public meeting in Jhalda that some parties (irrelevant) like AJSU were contesting from Baghmundi adding that Congress will possibly broker over a seat for the BJP. She further added, addressing the people hearing her at the rally, “You will not give that opportunity. Just show them the door outside. Do not waste the votes by voting for someone else.” She also said, “I have nominated Sushant Mahato in Baghmundi. Sushant is a good person.”  Even at the end of the meeting, thousands of workers and supporters present at the place chanted slogans alongwith Mamata.

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Desperate to remove the challenge posed by Mamata Banerjee, BJP goes to Election Commission-but it is too late

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In a scenario where it is cornered on the farm-laws & farmers’ protests, and when it is struggling to find the remaining 171 candidates for West Bengal election, the only thorn in the path of BJP right now is Mamata Banerjee. Desperate to get her out of the way, the BJP reached out to the Election commission again.

Allegedly, Mamata Banerjee hid the information in the affidavit submitted with the nomination paper. The charge sheet mentions five FIRs filed in Assam, including a CBI case. The BJP had demanded that Mamata’s nomination be cancelled.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days getting closer

As soon as questions were raised about the affidavit of the Trinamool Congress-supremo, there was a fight in the state politics all day long. But the whole thing turned diametrically opposite in the afternoon. The question, in this case, is whether the Mamata Banerjee, in whose name the cases are being mentioned, is at all the TMC-supremo or someone different.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

The commission is looking into the whole matter. According to CBI sources, a case was filed against an employee of the Central Government-Group D in Durgapur-Asansol under the Anti-Corruption Act. The CBI found a large amount of property in the investigation. On the basis of this, cases related to inappropriate income were filed. Chargesheet was issued in that case against the central government worker and his wife. Coincidentally, the woman’s name was Mamata Banerjee. This case involving a person with the same name has been tangled with the TMC-candidate from Nandigram, which is CM Mamata Banerjee.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Even then, the commission officials are reluctant to give much importance to the issue. They say that if the information in the affidavit is concealed, someone else can submit a counter-affidavit. That is also highlighted on the website along with the information of that candidate. However, the nomination papers are not cancelled. Coincidentally, Monday was the day for scrutiny of the second round of voting. So, naturally the candidates of Nandigram have also been scrutinized. In the second phase, 176 people submitted nomination papers. Among them are CM Mamata Banerjee, 30 candidates from the Trinamool Congress, 30 from the BJP, 15 from the CPM, nine from the Congress, two from the CPI and the Forward Bloc, seven from the BSP, 47 others , and 34 independents. At the end of the scrutiny, it was learnt that CM Mamata Banerjee’s nomination paper was not rejected. The commission has rejected the nomination of only one independent candidate in this episode.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

In other words, despite the BJP’s allegations or desperate attempts, TMC-supremo Mamata Banerjee is contesting from Nandigram. However, the Election Commission is trying hard to handle this assembly election, given the allegations labelled against it. The commission has taken steps to remove ADG (Law and Order) Javed Shamim within 24 hours of announcing the eight-phased-voting schedule, unprecedentedly. Javed sat in that post only 21 days ago. After that, DGP Virendra of the state police was also removed.

Election commission did not take lightly the incident of Mamata Banerjee being injured. The Superintendent of Police and the Director of Security have been suspended for negligence in security. The Commission had instructed the Chief Secretary to fix the name of the next Director of Security by 01 pm on Monday in consultation with the DGP. Similarly, Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay sent the name of Gyanwant Singh to Delhi, with the Election Commission having sealed & stamped it.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

Mamata Banerjee has seriously rattled the BJP-leadership, pushed on a back foot on multiple issues like the farmers’ protests and suppression of voice of dissent, in the context of her being a staunch opponent & vocal critic of the central government, in the face of the upcoming state elections.

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Suvendu Adhikari filed nomination from Nandigram Assembly constituency in a fight against Mamata Banerjee

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On Friday, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari filed his nomination from the Nandigram Assembly constituency against his mentor-turned-opponent Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. He said that he was “100 percent” confident of his win. Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Smriti Irani also took part in the rally before Adhikari filed the nomination papers. “I am 100 percent confident of my victory in Nandigram. The people of the area are with me. I am the son of the soil,” he told reporters.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

The Battle for Nandigram has got sharpened with the face-off between Mamata and Suvendu, with Mamata suffering an injury at the Birulia Bazaar few days back. Two days after CM Mamata Banerjee suffered an injury in Nandigram, a TMC-delegation of six MPs in a formal complaint to the Election Commission alleged a “deep-rooted BJP conspiracy” behind the attack and asked for an “immediate and unbiased” investigation of the same. The delegation included TMC MPs Dereck O’Brien, Saugata Roy, Satabdi Roy, Kakoli G. Dastidar, Pratima Mondal and Santanu Sen.

On the same day (March 12), Mamata Banerjee was released from the hospital with the doctors stating that CM Banerjee had responded well to treatment and that they have given certain medical advice to her during her release.

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Mamata Banerjee released from hospital-doctors said that she responded well to treatment

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West Bengal Chief Minister & TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was released from the hospital on Friday, with doctors saying that she has responded well to treatment. The TMC supremo, who is also the election-candidate from Nandigram, left hospital two days after she was injured in Nandigram days before assembly elections.

“Medical board felt she should be in the hospital for 48 hours more for observation. She requested that she should be discharged. Heeding to her request she is being discharged with medical advice,” doctors treating her at a hospital in Kolkata said in a statement.

“The Chief Minister has responded to treatment. The plaster slab was opened today and injury was examined. The haematoma (blood suffusion) has diminished considerably. Ankle injury has shown much sign of improvement,” they added.

On Wednesday, after filing her election papers for Nandigram, Mamata was at a market greeting people while standing on the footboard of her car when the crowd pressed against her door, which crushed her leg, causing her injuries.

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Nandigram’s incident was an accident, says the report submitted to the Election Commission

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The Nandigram’s incident that resulted in an injury to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was an accident, according to preliminary police findings submitted to the Election Commission on Thursday.

The report claimed to have arrived at its conclusion via video footage and accounts of local police and eyewitnesses, including Trinamool Congress members. It says that the chief minister was hurt when her car, while maneuvering through a crowded bazaar area, hit a small iron pillar.

CM Banerjee, who enjoys a Z+ security cover (highest level), was waving at people with her car door open. She hurt her feet as the car door was slammed shut after hitting the pillar on the narrow street, the report states.

Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (March 10) suffered injuries to her left leg while campaigning in Nandigram and was rushed to Kolkata for treatment. In a video from SSKM hospital, where she is undergoing treatment, CM Banerjee has urged people to remain calm.

In response to the Nandigram incident, a delegation from the TMC had submitted a complaint to the Election Commission.

The complaint added, “Within 24 hours of the removal of the erstwhile DGP, an attempt on Ms. Mamata Banerjee’s life was made in Nandigram this evening. She was on the campaign trail and filed her nomination this afternoon. At the time of the assault neither the Superintendent of Police nor the local police was present to give her security cover, even though she is a Z Plus protectee.”

Responding to the letter sent by Trinamool Congress, the Election Commission of India has said that it was unfortunate that the letter was “full of insinuations and averments”.

“Completely incorrect to suggest that Commission has taken over law and order machinery in the state in the name of conducting elections and appropriated whole governance structure,” ECI said, adding that the incident was “indeed unfortunate” and needs to be inquired into with “promptitude and dispatch”.