Kolkata: West Bengal minister Gautam Deb on Thursday met the full bench of the Election Commission to submit "evidence" to substantiate the ruling Left's allegations that the Trinamool Congress was using black money in the ongoing assembly polls.
The housing minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leader said, "I have submitted some evidence to substantiate my allegation that TMC has used black money worth Rs 33.90 crore during the assembly polls."
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and the other two Election Commissioners – V S Sampath and H S Brahma - were in Kolkata for a day-long visit to assess poll preparedness for the remaining three phases of the West Bengal elections.
Deb had alleged earlier this month that the opposition TMC had given Rs 15 lakh in cash to all but one of its 226 candidates. It also gave them coupons of the same amount to show that the money was collected from the public. Showing pictures of some burnt documents, he had claimed that the part of the coupons to be given to the public was burnt in the Trinamool office.
"I have already given them the damaged part of the coupon counterfoils that was purportedly issued to prove that the money was collected from public," the minister told mediapersons on Thursday.
"I have also given them details of the bank accounts of the TMC candidates mentioning how much cash was deposited in that account on some particular dates," said Deb.
"My evidence would be enough for the Election Commission to carry out the investigation. And I have full faith that the Election Commission will look into the matter. I have said that if you seek more evidence from us, I will provide it."
Deb also told the poll panel that the TMC was using huge amounts of money for hiring helicopters for poll campaigns. He has asked the panel to inquire how much money the TMC had paid the television channels that were constantly airing its advertisements. "We will also collect information on our own," said Deb.
Deb said he was even prepared to go to the Supreme Court if the matter was not resolved in the lower courts.
Senior TMC leader Mukul Roy dismissed the allegations and said the CPM's only aim was to malign the Trinamool leadership. "They continuously indulge in making false allegations against us. We have met the Election Commission and we too have some coupons which Deb has used to collect money from the public."
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