• Source:JND
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West Bengal SIR: The Chief Minister of West Bengal, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson, Mamata Banerjee, seems to be in a war against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state voter list by the Election Commission of India. Apart from filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court against the ECI's SIR in West Bengal, Banerjee led a delegation of TMC leaders, all dressed in black, to Delhi to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday. Apart from TMC leaders, Mamata brought 12 'SIR affected' people, featuring people summoned over 'logical discrepancies' and family members of those who died due to SIR pressure-related issues.

She left the meeting halfway and alleged 'humiliation' and 'insult' during the meeting. Although there have been controversies around SIR across the country, Mamata seems extra aggressive against the exercise as it could prove to be one of the strongest political weapons for her ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

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Deletion Of Higher Number Of Voters May Reduce TMC's Seats

If significant numbers of electors are deleted from the final voter list of the state, it will potentially include the sizeable minority voters, which is where Mamata's worry stems from. The Muslim community serves as TMC's key voter base, and if this voter base is noticeably affected, Mamata's party could run in a slew of seats.

SIR As Political Weapon Against BJP

Aware of the fact that the final voter list is released on February 14, ECI will announce the election schedule in West Bengal. CM Mamata seems to have chosen SIR as her strongest Political weapon, for it is believed to help her blunt its rivals’ attacks against the government over lack of industry, unemployment, and corruption. Hence, Mamata hit the streets in Bengal and Delhi, reiterating her image of a firebrand leader.

Consolidation Of Muslim Votes

The Muslim community forms 27 per cent of the state's population, and a substantial vote share of TMC comes from the community. With a section of the community apparently unhappy over the revision of the OBC list, which reduced the community's reservation chances, implementation of the amended Waqf Act in the state and “harassment” of migrant labourers in other states, Mamata's aggressive stance against the SIR process also aims to consolidate muslim votes.

Apart from this, Mamata's demand for justice over the alleged deaths of people due to anxiety, depression and other SIR-related issues can help her gain a share of emotionally driven voters.

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For Mamata, gaining sizeable Hindu voters is as important as keeping her Muslim base intact, hence CM has also mounted her attempts to woo the Hindu voters, laying foundation stones for Durga Angan and Mahakal temples in New Town and Siliguri over the last few weeks. Last April, she inaugurated a Jagannath temple in Digha.


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