Opposition slams govt over EC Arun Goel’s resignation

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

A day after Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned from the post, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday lauded him for “not succumbing” to the BJP’s pressure, and asserted that the saffron camp would be defeated in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll.

Speaking at a mega rally of the TMC at Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata, Banerjee said the sudden resignation of Goel proves that the “BJP is attempting to loot votes in the Lok Sabha poll”.

“I salute Arun Goel for not succumbing to the pressure by Delhi leaders (of BJP) and his top bosses in connection with the West Bengal LS poll and the deployment of forces. It proves what they (the BJP-led NDA government) want to do in the name of election. They want to loot votes,” she said.

Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned on Saturday, days before the expected announcement of the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

His tenure was till December 5, 2027, and he would have become Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after incumbent Rajiv Kumar retired in February next year.

On Goel’s resignation, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that one needs to wait and see “what he does” in the next few days. “I was thinking that after the High Court judge resigned and joined the BJP the next day and started abusing the TMC. It shows that the BJP has appointed people with such a mindset. Now, the Election Commissioner has resigned. Let us wait for some time to see what he does,” he said.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) said it was “alarmed” by Election Commissioner Arun Goel’s resignation just ahead of the General Election and demanded the Union Government provide a clear statement on the circumstances in which this situation has emerged. It also said that Goel’s move on the eve of the General Election created an atmosphere of uncertainty.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged the Election Commission has become an “extended branch of the BJP”. It is not the same Election Commission that it was during TN Seshan’s time, which functioned as a watchdog over the elections and remained impartial, he claimed.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi demanded answers from the former Election Commissioner regarding the proximity of him stepping down to the Lok Sabha elections. “It would be better if he (Arun Goel) himself or the government would tell the reason behind the resignation ahead of the LS elections,” he said.

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