Mamata relents, to transfer officials unconditionally

• EC had warned to defer polls if its orders were not complied
• In West Bengal polling begins from April 17 in five phases

New Delhi/Durgapur: After breathing fire, the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal on Tuesday night buckled under pressure and agreed to transfer eight top officials as the Election Commission put its foot down and gave an ultimatum to it for complying with its order by Wednesday. The EC had ordered the shift of five IPS officers and three IAS officers against whom complaints of bias were received.

Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee told reporters in Durgapur that she had agreed to replace five SPs, a DM and two ADMs, as directed by the Election Commission, moving away from the path of confrontation as the EC stuck to its gun. "I will appoint the officers as directed by the Election Commission. I have no objection," Banerjee said.

"It will rather be good for me, I have good contact with all the officers in my State," Banerjee said. Banerjee's piping down came just a day after she had threatened to defy the EC order and face arrest as a consequence. Even as she agreed to abide by the EC order, Banerjee continued to fume at the EC over the transfer decision, accusing the poll body of playing a political game and described its directive as its "political vendetta." She alleged such action by the EC was visible only in the States ruled by regional parties like West Bengal. "How many similar actions has it taken in Gujarat, Rajasthan or Maharashtra?" she said, wondering "why regional parties were being targeted."