KOLKATA: Bengal CM and Trinamool chief, Mamata Banerjee, alleged on Saturday attempts to cancel her Bhowanipore nomination through “false affidavits”. She filed a nomination on April 8, and it was accepted April 10 after scrutiny.Bhowanipore now has 13 candidates, among the highest in Bengal, including eight Independents outnumbering those from registered parties. Two complaints against her, traced to an Independent candidate from Nadia, were rejected, according to sources.”Our fight is not with BJP, but with the party’s vanishing machine. In my own constituency, those traitors filed two false affidavits against me to cancel my nomination. They did not succeed, but remember, they tried… They made many efforts to stop me from contesting. So, you can understand: if they can do this to me, what can they do to you?” Banerjee said.One objection flagged a “name mismatch” involving proposer Ismat Hakim, spouse of Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim. She had earlier used the premarital surname Ismat Ara but updated documents to Ismat Hakim. Documentation submitted during scrutiny resolved the issue.”Usually, these matters take a couple of minutes. But we had an inkling of this when all the proposers were made to wait for two hours after the CM filed her nomination,” a TMC member overseeing Bhowanipore polls said.Another objection alleged undisclosed criminal cases from two decades ago when Banerjee was in opposition. “This could not be proven, nor was any evidence produced,” the party functionary said, adding she had marked that column “not applicable”.A third flashpoint involved ballot logistics. The initial field of 17 candidates risked pushing Banerjee’s name onto a second EVM, as one unit can display 16 names. TMC objected. “A sitting CM cannot be pushed to a second EVM. It would have caused confusion,” the functionary said. Four nominations were later cancelled, removing the need for multiple machines.About the AuthorTamaghna BanerjeeTamaghna Banerjee, a reporter from Kolkata, covers crime, aviation, human rights and politics. He has a keen interest in human interest and rural reporting. He has done his postgraduation in journalism and mass communication. He has a total of 14 years in journalism.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos”Don’t Assume It’s Over” Rajnath Cautions On West Asia ConflictJag Vikram Leads Way, First Indian Ship Through Hormuz Post CeasefireSupreme Court Clarifies: Right To Vote And Contest Elections Not Fundamental Rights, But StatutoryCDS General Anil Chauhan Says All Services On The Same Page On Theatre CommandTharoor Attacks Pak, Says Terror History Can’t Be Wiped Out Before TalksMaha Vir Chakra Awardee Col Sonam Wangchuk Passes Away; Kargil War Hero Remembered For BraveryIndia Sends Second Medical Shipment To Iran, Wins Praise Amid Ongoing Regional Conflict CrisisVikram Misri’s Paris–Berlin Visit: India Pushes Defence, Energy & Trade Ties Amid Global TensionsUP’s Massive Voter List Reset: 8.43 Million Added, 13.2% Deleted in Longest-Ever RevisionNitish Kumar’s Rajya Sabha Oath Triggers Bihar Leadership Buzz: Who Will Be the Next CM?123PhotostoriesFrom calling ‘Sweetu’ in Kal Ho Naa Ho more than just a ‘fat friend’ to speaking about her divorce with ex-husband Rajeev Paul and alimony, Delnaaz Irani opens up about her lifeWhy homemade paneer turns hard and 5 smart tips to fix it at homeBollywood who? These Indian royals are the new kings of menswearPolka dots to tiger stripes: 5 Y2K prints everyone is wearing right nowRavi Bishnoi’s Jodhpur house: A reflection of tradition, comfort, and calm livingTop 6 residential areas in Vadodara for buyers and investorsThat back pain may not be muscle strain: Early signs of kidney issues people often missWhy gold remains India’s favorite investment and fashion’s biggest statement5 mantras to teach your kids for successDhabas fined Rs 1.45 lakh for hygiene violations: 6 common hygiene issues at dhabas and how to handle them123Hot PicksIran war ceasefirePAN Card application 2026Purple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingStephen Curry charityLaura Loomer reactionIndia Lebanon civilianRajouri grenade recoveryUS stock marketPAN Card application 2026Hinjewadi Metro lineUS inflationSchool Holidays in AprilLaken Snelling case
KOLKATA: Bengal CM and Trinamool chief, Mamata Banerjee, alleged on Saturday attempts to cancel her Bhowanipore nomination through “false affidavits”. She filed a nomination on April 8, and it was accepted April 10 after scrutiny.Bhowanipore now has 13 candidates, among the highest in Bengal, including eight Independents outnumbering those from registered parties. Two complaints against her, traced to an Independent candidate from Nadia, were rejected, according to sources.“Our fight is not with BJP, but with the party’s vanishing machine. In my own constituency, those traitors filed two false affidavits against me to cancel my nomination. They did not succeed, but remember, they tried… They made many efforts to stop me from contesting. So, you can understand: if they can do this to me, what can they do to you?” Banerjee said.One objection flagged a “name mismatch” involving proposer Ismat Hakim, spouse of Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim. She had earlier used the premarital surname Ismat Ara but updated documents to Ismat Hakim. Documentation submitted during scrutiny resolved the issue.“Usually, these matters take a couple of minutes. But we had an inkling of this when all the proposers were made to wait for two hours after the CM filed her nomination,” a TMC member overseeing Bhowanipore polls said.Another objection alleged undisclosed criminal cases from two decades ago when Banerjee was in opposition. “This could not be proven, nor was any evidence produced,” the party functionary said, adding she had marked that column “not applicable”.A third flashpoint involved ballot logistics. The initial field of 17 candidates risked pushing Banerjee’s name onto a second EVM, as one unit can display 16 names. TMC objected. “A sitting CM cannot be pushed to a second EVM. It would have caused confusion,” the functionary said. Four nominations were later cancelled, removing the need for multiple machines.
