Hooghly (West Bengal) [India], April 22 : West Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar on Wednesday alleged that permission was denied for rallies of Rahul Gandhi in parts of the state, including Serampore.
Speaking to ANI, Sarkar claimed that the move reflected fear of the Congress leader's growing influence.
"Andhi aur toofan mein, Rahul Gandhi hamesha maidan mein (In storms and hurricanes, Rahul Gandhi is always on the field). They are so afraid of Rahul Gandhi & Congress that they stopped his public meeting in Serampore, Kolkata. No one can stop Rahul Gandhi from coming here", he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Kolkata on April 23 has been cancelled after the local administration allegedly denied permission for the event, party sources said on Tuesday.
Rahul Gandhi was slated to arrive in the West Bengal capital on April 23 to lead the party's election campaign.
The Congress party has alleged that the local administration and the police, acting at the "behest of the Mamata Banerjee-led government," denied the necessary permissions for the visit.
According to the Congress, they waited until 6:00 PM for the administrative clearance. Since no permission was granted by the local police, it is no longer possible to complete the logistical preparations required for the event on April 23.
"A fresh request for administrative permission will be submitted for a revised schedule, likely for either April 25 or 26," the source said.
The cancellation comes amid a high-octane battle for West Bengal, where the Congress is contesting in an alliance with the Left Front, often finding itself at odds with the ruling Trinamool Congress.
The polling for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will be held in two phases. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
As per the Election Commission of India (ECI), the first phase covers 152 Assembly constituencies, while the second phase includes 142 seats.
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