'Something may happen before 2021': Babul Supriyo warns Mamata to 'mend her ways' before elections

Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Friday told a news agency that if West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee thought that she would intimidate voters to keep them away from polling booths then there are “provisions in the Constitution” to remove her from that path. Although he did not directly mention the imposing of President’s Rule in the state, the TMC leadership claimed that Supriyo was hinting at Article 356.

“We also want the people who voted her to power and made her the Chief Minister to topple her government through a democratic process. But if Mamata Didi thinks that she will threaten and intimidate people so that they stay away from the polling booths then there are provisions in the Constitution which can be used to remove her from this path,” said Supriyo.

The BJP leader also warned that if the chief minister did not mend her ways then “something” might happen even before the 2021 Assembly elections.

Also read — Recent events in West Bengal call for imposition of President rule: Babul Supriyo

“If Didi mends her ways and abides by the Constitution in the six months (till the Assembly elections) then it's well and good. People have made up their mind and we will see the outcome in 2021. If Didi thinks that she will do whatever she wants and we will not do anything about it then something may happen before 2021,” he said.

His comments drew a sharp retort from the TMC leadership. TMC MP Saugata Roy said that Supriyo was hinting at Article 356. “The situation is far worse in Uttar Pradesh. Since Babul is giving speeches in Hindi then he should talk about Uttar Pradesh in Hindi. If in that state a bahubali shot dead eight policemen then is it not a Constitutional crisis? If a Dalit woman is gang-raped and murdered then are these Constitutional provisions not applicable there?” he asked.

He added that BJP leaders regularly try to intimidate them with such claims. “BJP leaders regularly try to intimidate us with such claims. He is speaking about Constitutional provisions but only Article 356 comes to mind in this regard. When a government has a majority in a state then the Centre has no other way to topple it,” he said.