A day after the Lok Sabha poll schedule was announced, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Prasun Bandyopadhyay on Sunday triggered a controversy while warning the central forces and the Election Commission not to “intimidate” during the elections.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a video of Bandyopadhyay on X (formerly Twitter), where the TMC leader can be seen making remarks on paramilitary forces and the Election Commission.

While addressing a rally in Malda, Bandyopadhyay said, “I am telling all the BSF and paramilitary forces to stay within the law. We will also stay within the law. Let the elections be free and fair. If paramilitary forces try to intimidate, ‘main hoon na’ (I am here).”

The TMC leader, an ex-IPS officer and party’s candidate from Uttar Malda parliamentary constituency, further said that the commission officials should be kept seated in schools and he will manage everything.

“Election commission should be kept seated in schools. Give them water. Don’t neglect them. Just say Prasun Bandyopadhyay has come to play. There is no use of boots, AK 47, SLR. Just say I am calling Prasun Bandyopadhyay. He is entering in half an hour. He will understand all the laws. The observer will understand everything,” he said n a threatening tone.

Malviya, who posted the video, took a jibe at the leader and the ruling TMC, saying that one can imagine all the wrongdoings of Bandyopadhyay as a police officer under the Mamata Banerjee government.

“Prasun, who quit IPS and joined the Trinamool Congress the next day, to contest Lok Sabha polls, is now intimidating the Election Commission of India. One can only imagine what he did as a police officer! He exemplifies all that is wrong with the West Bengal Police,” he said.

The election commission on Saturday schedule for the much-awaited Lok Sabha polls. The elections for the 543 parliamentary constituencies will be held in seven phases, starting April 19 and would culminate on June 1. The phase 1 polling will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, third phase on May 7, fourth phase on May 13, 5th phase on May 20, 6th phase on May 25 and the last and the 7th phase on June 1. The counting of votes would take place on June 4.

The Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, comprising 42 seats, will take place in all the seven phases. Out of the 42 seats, 10 are reserved for SC candidates and two for ST. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats, the Congress (2) and the BJP (18).