Deserves Padma Bhushan at least: Bengal BJP chief praises CEC for violence-free polls

West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya has pitched a Padma Bhushan – India's third-highest civilian award – for Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the top polling official had ensured violence-free Assembly election in the state.He also credited him with "cleansing" the voter list by removing the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators.The BJP leader's endorsement of the CEC came amid a growing controversy over the Election Commission's functioning after reports surfaced that two election commissioners had objected to decisions allegedly taken in their names during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.Speaking to reporters on Friday, Bhattacharya also dismissed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's statements where he labelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CEC Kumar as "traitors" and said they would be investigated for "destroying" the foundation of India's democracy – the vote of the common man – by rigging elections "Gyanesh Kumar deserves to be awarded, at the very least, with the Padma Bhushan. The people of West Bengal are delighted that, after so long, intimidation was kept at bay, that there were no incidents of murder during the elections and people were actually allowed to cast their votes," the BJP leader said.He asserted that Kumar was instrumental in "cleansing" the voter rolls in Bengal. "In a border state like West Bengal, Gyanesh Kumar took the initiative to remove the names of Bangladeshi infiltrators from the voter list," Bhattacharya stated."The people of West Bengal have rarely witnessed an election like this. Therefore, the general public of West Bengal is grateful to Gyanesh Kumar and has blessed him with all their hearts," he added.CALLS FOR CEC'S RESIGNATIONBhattacharya's comment came after the Abhijeet Dipke-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) set a 48-hour ultimatum for Kumar to resign as CEC.The outfit has threatened to launch a nationwide agitation if he continued to remain in his chair after the deadline. The Congress party held widespread protests on Friday, September 25, seeking the CEC's removal and arrest.Meanwhile, a plea was filed before the Supreme Court challenging the EC's poll-related orders and software changes allegedly made by Kumar without the concurrence of his two fellow election commissioners.On the other hand, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said reports of three election commissioners expressing differing views during official deliberations showed that the Election Commission was functioning in a democratic manner.- Ends(Based on inputs from PTI)