‘Don’t cry again’: UP meets Bengal poll expert warns TMC candidate, video sparks big controversy

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh encounter expert Ajay Pal Sharma, who has been posted as a police observer in South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, has issued a stern warning to Falta TMC candidate Jehangir Khan, saying he will be “handled appropriately” if his people continue to “threaten” voters in the state constituency.In a viral video, Ajay Pal Sharma warned Jahangir Khan’s family: “Tell him that if his men continue to threaten, we will deal with him properly… don’t cry or regret then.”Praise for Ajay Sharma as Uttar Pradesh’s ‘Singham’, bjpUP’s IT department chief Amit Malviya said the UP encounter expert “immediately set the tone and firmly read out the Riot Act to the family of Abhishek Banerjee’s close aide Jehangir Khan”. “The message is loud and clear: the era of intimidation and impunity is over. Law and order will prevail and those who seek to influence the electoral process will be held accountable,” Malviya said.However, the ruling TMC was quick to react to the video, pointing the finger at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the official himself, asking him to rein in his “heroic act”.“My sweet child – we are the ones who can handle your ‘little Fanta’ as well as your ‘Big Fanta’. So keep your heroics in check,” Mahua Moitra, a fierce critic of the BJP, said in a post on X.Akhilesh Yadav, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Mamata BanerjeeHis allies in the Bloc India slammed Ajay Pal Sharma, calling him an “agenda-driven agent” of the BJP.“These are unregistered underground party members posing as officers. We will not let them escape or go to the ground. They will be tracked, dug up if necessary, and punished by law for their crimes.” sajwadi party Chief wrote on X.The campaign in West Bengal officially ended at 5 pm on Monday, marking the final phase of political campaigning ahead of the upcoming polls on April 29. Results will be announced on May 4. election committee Officials said that after the April 29 polls, there are plans to retain 700 companies of central forces in Bengal, of which 500 will be dedicated to law and order duties.The EC also plans to deploy an additional 1,920 companies by mid-April, bringing the total number of companies participating in the vote to 2,400.The 500 companies retained to maintain law and order include 200 companies of CRPF, 150 companies of BSF, 50 companies of CISF, 50 companies of ITBP and 50 companies of SSB, indicating that post-poll violence, retaliatory clashes, intimidation or other disturbances are expected. Another 200 companies will keep EVMs, vaults and counting centers secure until the count ends.An official said the post-poll arrangements suggested the Center expected to face a serious risk of unrest after the polls.European Commission officials are wary of post-poll violence as more than 1,300 cases occurred in 2021, 90% of which took place between May 2 and 5, before the government took office. CM Mamata Banerjee was sworn in for a third term on May 5, 2021, and before that, the EC was in charge of law and order.