The city of Kolkata sets the stage for a confident Mahua Moitra, a prominent TMC figure, as she anticipates a resounding victory in the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency. She perceives this triumph not merely as a personal success but also as a robust rebuttal to the orchestrated attempts last year to oust her from the Lok Sabha and besmirch her standing through investigative raids and summonses instigated by central authorities concerning a cash-for-query imbroglio.
Moitra stands firm in her conviction that despite the BJP’s concerted endeavors to undermine constitutional democracy, the resilience of India as a nation transcends the machinations of authoritarian ideologies.
Renominated by the TMC from the same Krishnanagar constituency following her expulsion, Moitra castigates the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for assuming the mantle of “political emissaries” for the saffron faction.
In an exclusive discourse with PTI, Moitra denounces the compromised autonomy of the Election Commission, attributing it to the composition of a selection committee where the central government enjoys disproportionate influence.
“The certainty of my triumph is unequivocal. The magnitude of the victory margin, however, remains to be determined on June 4. My intimate association with the locale, spanning over five years of dedicated engagement with the populace, renders the electoral contest devoid of any sense of estrangement,” she asserts.
Having secured a resounding victory margin exceeding 60,000 votes in the 2019 elections, accruing 45 percent of the total votes cast, Moitra is poised to replicate her electoral success.
“My impending victory will serve as a fitting riposte to the orchestrated campaign aimed at my expulsion and besmirching my integrity,” affirms the 49-year-old stateswoman.
Renowned for her vocal advocacy and impassioned rhetoric in parliamentary deliberations, Moitra’s expulsion from the Lower House in December last year, on grounds of ethical transgressions, failed to diminish her stature within the party ranks, with steadfast support from senior TMC leadership and the broader opposition spectrum.
Addressing the intrusive incursions by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate into her affairs, Moitra rebukes these agencies as instrumental appendages of the BJP.
The CBI’s raid on her premises, stemming from allegations of impropriety in the cash-for-query affair, instigated by BJP’s Nishikant Dubey, met with categorical repudiation from Moitra.
Simultaneously, fresh summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate, implicating her and businessman Darshan Hiranandani in contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), were rebuffed by Moitra, who opted to forgo compliance.
Lodging a formal grievance with the Election Commission, Moitra decries the BJP’s utilization of the CBI and the ED to disrupt her electoral campaign and besmirch her reputation, notwithstanding her skepticism regarding any remedial intervention by the electoral oversight body.
“The Election Commission’s autonomy has been irretrievably compromised. The systematic appointment of commissioners, beholden to the prime minister and home minister, renders the electoral oversight process a charade,” she laments.
A former legislator from the Karimpur constituency in the West Bengal Assembly, Moitra underscores the imperative of continued engagement with the electoral machinery, notwithstanding prevailing constraints.
Interrogated about her future course of action post-election, Moitra evinces steadfast resolve in maintaining her vociferous opposition to the BJP’s policy trajectory.
“My parliamentary interventions have consistently underscored the BJP’s complicity in facilitating the enrichment of private conglomerates, prompting legal challenges in the Supreme Court against the Narendra Modi administration’s policy formulations,” she affirms.
Reflecting on the prospects of dislodging the BJP-led NDA coalition, given the tepid traction of the opposition bloc, Moitra places unwavering faith in the electorate’s discernment.
“The ultimate arbiters of political destiny are the people. While the trajectory may be circuitous, the eventual reckoning is inexorable,” she asserts.
Dismissive of the potential ramifications of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in her constituency, characterized by a significant Matua demographic, Moitra underscores the prevailing sentiment against formalizing citizenship applications among the community.
“Although the Matua populace is more concentrated in the neighboring Ranaghat constituency, a proportionate presence here remains. Notwithstanding, directives from Matua organizations advising against availing CAA benefits owing to the absence of requisite documentation from their erstwhile residences in Bangladesh prevail,” she elucidates.
When pressed for her assessment of her saffron opponent, ‘Rajmata’ Amrita Roy of the Krishnanagar Royal family, Moitra professes indifference, emphasizing her ideological confrontation with the BJP as paramount.
“The identity of the candidate pales in significance against the broader ideological battle waged against the BJP. The veracity of my stance shall be vindicated on June 4,” she concludes.
