TMC seeks action against Amit Shah, says he violated poll code at Petrapole event

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing Union home minister Amit Shah of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) ahead of by-elections in the state.
“During his official address at the Petrapole event, Shah made slanderous remarks against the TMC and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee with an intent to defame. The politically charged remarks – calling for a “parivartan in 2026” – were in no way connected to the event in question, raising serious doubts over the Union home minister’s intentions to maintain the line between official events and electioneering work,” the letter sent by Subrata Bakshi, TMC president to the state’s chief electoral officer stated.
Shah, while addressing an event in Kolkata on Sunday, accused the Trinamool government in West Bengal of promoting “state-sponsored infiltration” and declared that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form a government in the state in 2026.
“Infiltration, when sponsored by a government, disrupts peace across the country. The only way to end infiltration in Bengal is to uproot the TMC government in 2026,” Shah had said.
By-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal will take place on November 13 and the results will be declared on November 23.
The MCC came into force on October 15 when the election dates were announced.
“This is blatant violation of the code’s provisions designed to ensure a fair and unbiased electoral process. In the light of the above circumstances, you are called upon to forthwith issue show-cause notice to Shah for violation of MCC at an official event in poll bound district,” the letter stated.
Also Read:‘State-sponsored infiltration’: Amit Shah attacks Mamata Banerjee in Bengal
By-polls are scheduled to be held in Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur and Taldangra.
The bypolls were necessitated in all the six seats after the sitting legislators contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and won.
Barring the Madarihat assembly seat, which was won by the BJP in the 2021 assembly elections, the remaining five were won by the TMC.
Shah had also alleged that a major share of funds sent by the Centre to West Bengal was “usurped due to corruption” in West Bengal.
Reacting to the letter, BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya defended Shah for his statements made at the event.
“Shah, in his speech, gave a detailed breakup of the central funds while refuting the wild allegations frequently made by the TMC of being deprived by the BJP-government at the Centre. Now, that the TMC has nothing to say, it is trying to counter with these (letters to ECI),” said Bhattacharya.