New Delhi, Sep 25 Trinamool Congress joint secretary Derek O’Brien on Friday said opposition parties must continue to contest elections to protect democratic rights while simultaneously fighting for free and fair polls.
He was responding to Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke’s call to boycott elections that he alleged were being rigged.
“Opposition boycotting elections = BJP wins all seats. Once that happens, they amend the Constitution to legalise all their crimes,” O’Brien said on X.
He said staying away from elections would also mean betraying party supporters working on the ground.
“Also not contesting elections means betraying the lakhs of workers who are on the ground, fighting with their lives,” he said.
“That is why it is important to fight elections to protect democratic rights, while also fighting for free and fair elections,” O’Brien said.
Dipke had earlier urged opposition parties to stop participating in elections if they believed the process was being rigged, arguing that their participation legitimised such polls. He had said, “You cannot keep saying the game is rigged while continuing to play it.”
Dipke, founder and national convener of the CJP, on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and threatened a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” agitation if the demand was not met.
(PTI News)
