Kolkata, March 28: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday raised questions over the alleged audio clips of Mukul Roy. The audio clips were released by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday.  In an apparent attack on the TMC, Amit Shah said that the question was how the phones of the West Bengal BJP leaders – Mukul Roy and Shishir Bajoria -  were tapped and who made the audio clips public. The Union Home Minister said that the party had already requested the Election Commission to transfer polling agents from other areas of the state.

The Union Home Minister stated, "Two BJP leaders were discussing over a phone call the demands made for transfer (of officers). These demands were made in writing. There is nothing secret in this. The question which needs to be raised is that who tapped the phone call." The Mamata Banerjee-led party had alleged that the EC had favoured the BJP by changing the rule. The TMC alleged that the voice in the audio tape was of Roy and Bajoria. West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021: Mind Games Won't Work, This is Bengal, Says MP Derek O'Brien to Amit Shah.

Shah also expressed confidence that the BJP would win over 200 seats. “Yesterday, after many years, the polling process was held without any incident of violence in West Bengal. I want to thank the women of West Bengal for polling in favour of the BJP. BJP will form government in West Bengal with more than 200 seats,” reported Times Now, quoting the Union Home Minister as saying. West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 Phase 1: Voting Ends; Final Turnout of 79.79% Recorded.

During the leaked phone call, Roy purportedly said that the poll body should be requested to pass administrative orders so that any voter anywhere in Bengal could become booth agents at any booth in the state. Generally, booth agents are residents of the booth area. Notably, TMC minister Subrata Mukherjee made these allegations while addressing the media in Kolkata on Saturday.

The voting for the first phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 took place on Saturday. Around 80 percent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of elections. Notably, the Vidhan Sabha polls in the state are taking place in eight phases starting from March 27 to April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. In these elections, the main competition will be between the BJP and the ruling TMC.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2021 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).