CEC Gyanesh Kumar row: Kalyan Banerjee praises CJP’s focused approach

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said only the Cockroach Janata Party could remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar, while discussing opposition protests against him. His remarks came amid reports of objections by two Election Commissioners over decisions concerning electoral rolls and voter registration

Kolkata: TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Saturday said only the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) can remove Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, while acknowledging the limitations of political parties, including his own.

“If CJP gives a real challenge, they can remove Kumar; no other political party can,” Banerjee told a vernacular news channel.

---

He was speaking about efforts by opposition parties to protest against the CEC.

He said CJP’s focused approach could help it achieve results quickly.

“If CJP does it, there will be quick disposal. They stick with one issue and do it with all their heart and soul,” he said.

The leader also criticised political parties over defections in West Bengal.

“How many people do we have who work with heart and soul? You saw how many politicians were sold out in the state after the assembly elections,” Banerjee said.

Highlighting the impact of sustained civil society action, Banerjee said, “The movement they are carrying out brings quick relief; the exit of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is proof of that.”

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday demanded the resignation of Kumar and threatened to launch a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” agitation if his demand was not met.

The remarks came after The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the Election Commission, including those relating to the addition, deletion and restoration of voters and changes to the voter registration process.

In the wake of the Indian Express report, the poll panel officials said the two commissioners had flagged decisions taken during the electoral-roll cleanup and the handling of the voter database in various states.

EC sources maintained that all decisions of the Election Commission, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), have been unanimous and taken with the approval of both the election commissioners and the chief election commissioner.