The West Bengal Assembly elections have already been marked by major controversies during the campaign and the first phase of polling on April 23. Now another debate has emerged just ahead of the second round of voting on Wednesday. This comes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) deployed IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, popularly known as Uttar Pradesh's “encounter specialist” as an observer in the sensitive South 24 Parganas district.
Sharma’s appointment has reportedly intensified tensions between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ECI has already deployed a record number of security forces for this year’s polling, with total deployment reaching over 2,550 companies. It includes personnel from the CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB, and ITBP. While BJP and ECI maintained that Sharma had been deployed to ensure “free and fair voting”, TMC and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that it was a tactic to tilt the election by using “agents” to intimidate voters.
Who Is Ajay Pal Sharma?
Born on October 26, 1985, Ajay Pal Sharma is a 2011 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh Cadre. He is currently posted as Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Prayagraj. He is credited for leading over 500 police encounters and is widely known as an "encounter specialist.” He hails from Punjab’s Ludhiana district.
Before joining the services, Sharma practiced as a dentist. He earned his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Government Medical College, Patiala. After a brief stint in dentistry, he decided to pursue public service and successfully cleared the UPSC civil services examination. He was selected as an IPS officer in 2011.
He is known to have led high-risk operations during his postings in Shamli, Noida, Jaunpur, and Rampur districts of UP. Sharma is known as a hardline IPS officer and often recognised for his role in enforcing strict law and order in the state. After his deployment as police observer for the Bengal assembly elections, BJP leader Amit Malviya hailed him as “Singham” of UP police.
Sharma Sparks Buzz After Threatening TMC Candidate
Sharma had recently made headlines after he issued a stern warning to TMC candidate Jahangir Khan for allegedly threatening voters in the Falta constituency. In the video that had gone viral, he was heard saying: “Make sure he understands. If there are complaints of people being threatened, we will deal with it properly…Tell Jehangir that repeated complaints are coming that his people are threatening others. If that continues, we will take it up seriously. There should be no complaints later.”
TMC Holds Protest Against Sharma
Meanwhile, TMC supporters held a protest in Falta on Tuesday, accusing Sharma of "intimidating" party workers and leaders ahead of the second phase of polling in the state. According to news agency PTI reports, senior TMC leaders and ministers alleged that the IPS officer was overstepping his role. Khan also reacted to the development, referencing the movies Pushpa and Singham to make a point. He said that he would not allow "BJP-appointed police officials to threaten voters.” Khan said, “This is Bengal; if he is 'Singham', I am 'Pushpa'. No amount of threat or coercion by the BJP-appointed police officials from Uttar Pradesh will be allowed in Falta."