Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Sunday demanded a return to ballot papers in place of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and state-funding of elections saying said electoral reforms are required to save democracy and stop use of black money in polls. Addressing a mega rally in Kolkata, the West Bengal Chief Minister said "do not forget that EVMs were earlier used in England, France, Germany and America. But they have now stopped using them.... So why cannot we bring the ballot papers back?"
Mamata said the BJP should give its "promised Rs. 15 lakh black money" to people. "You are asking the Trinamool Congress for cut money? Give us back Rs. 15 lakh which you promised," she said. The Trinamool Congress chief was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll promise in 2014 Lok Sabha polls to bring back black money from abroad to India. He had said Rs. 15 lakh will be deposited to every citizen's bank account once the black money is brought back.
Sunday’s rally in Kolkata is seen by many as the launch of Mamata’s campaign for the state assembly elections due in 2021.
She paid tributes to all the "martyrs" in 34 years of Left rule in the state and urged people to fight for restoration of democracy in the country. The Trinamool chief attacked the BJP and said "open your ears and listen. Trinamool is hold the rally every year for the last 26 years. Some BJP leaders threatened to pull the Trinamool leaders off the bus. I tell BJP, if we react in kind...will you be able to withstand?" she said.
Mamata is facing an increasingly dominant BJP in West Bengal since the national elections in which Trinamool Congress won 22 seats, lost 12 while the saffron party gained 16 seats compared to just two in the 2014 parliamentary elections. The state has a total of 42 parliamentary seats. Mamata is now trying to turnaround her party’s electoral fortunes in the state elections.