Who ordered phone tapping of BJP leaders in Bengal, asks Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday questioned who ordered the tapping of phones of BJP leaders in West Bengal, after the state's ruling Trinamool Congress released a phone conversation between BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Shishir Bajoria.

Addressing a press conference at his residence here, he said: "What our leaders talked about was submitted to the Election Commission in writing. But the question is who did it (tapping)? Who gave permission for the tapping?"

Shah noted that when the Model Code of Conduct is in place, any tapping should be done with the permission of the poll panel.

"Was the permission taken from the Election Commission? Tapping was done without permission of the Election Commission," he said.

The Minister also said that the BJP would win 26 of the 30 seats in West Bengal and 37 of the 47 in Assam where polling was held on Saturday in the first phase of the Assembly polls.

"Based on discussions and feedback received from booth level workers and leaders, I can confidently say that the we are winning 26 of the 30 seats which went in for polling in the first phase in West Bengal."

"People in West Bengal are unhappy with the (Mamata Banerjee) government. They voted for change in 2011 but nothing changed. The BJP has under the leadership of Prime Minister is committed to 'Sonar Bangla'," he said.

Shah also claimed that women voted in favour of his party. "People in West Bengal voted against politics of appeasement, infiltration, corruption and misgovernance," he said.

He also noted that for first time on Saturday, West Bengal witnessed violence-free polls. "After many years, no incidents of violence was reported. No bomb was hurled or bullets were fired in West Bengal. I thank the Election Commission of India for conducting peaceful elections," Shah said.

In Assam, people voted for the BJP for development and for the commitment for a flood free state, he said, claiming 37 seats out of the 47 would go to the BJP.

He thanked voters of both the states for voting for the BJP. "The massive turnout of shows enthusiasm among voters," he said. (IANS)

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