TMC lodges complaint with EC against BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday, 17 May, said that it has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP candidate for Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency Abhijit Gangopadhyay for his alleged 'sexist' remarks against chief minister Mamata Banerjee at a public rally.

The TMC will also take recourse to legal action, a senior party leader said.

TMC leader and West Bengal minister Shashi Panja told reporters here that Gangopadhyay, who is a former judge of Calcutta High Court, has crossed all limits of decency by making 'sexist' remarks against Banerjee.

In a purported video which surfaced on Thursday Gangopadhyay was heard wondering about "the amount at which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is getting sold," triggering a row with the TMC labelling it as BJP's guarantee of disrespecting women, while the saffron party raised doubts about the clip's authenticity.

PTI, however, couldn't verify the authenticity of the video.

Gangopadhyay is a candidate and a former judge. He must be aware of the legal matters than most of us. Can a candidate use such words, Panja wondered.

"We have filed a complaint with the EC and also take legal recourse", she said.

Panja said, "The remarks made by Gangopadhyay smacks of his anti-women traits. This shows that the politics of the BJP has reached a nadir".

"The remarks made by the BJP candidate of Tamluk are sexist in nature and his candidature must be cancelled", she demanded.