The Election Commission of India (ECI) barred former Calcutta High Court judge and BJP Lok Sabha candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay from campaigning for 24 hours on Tuesday, following his derogatory remarks about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier this month. According to the ECI’s order, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who is running for the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal’s East Midnapore District, has been barred from campaigning beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday until 5 p.m. On Wednesday.

While addressing a oublic meeting in Haldia on May 15, Abhijit Gangopadhyay said in Bengali, “Mamata Banerjee, how much are you being sold for? Why is your rate Rs 10 lakh? Beacuse Keya Seth is doing your makeup for you? Is Mamata Banerjee even a woman? Sometimes I can’t stop wondering.”

In response to a complaint from the Trinamool Congress, which accused the former Calcutta HC Judge of making disparaging remarks about Mamata Banerjee, the ECI issued a show-cause notice to him on May 17. Gangopadhyay responded to the show-case notice on May 20 within the allotted time frame.  

According to insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, the commission decided to suspend him from campaigning for 24 hours after reviewing his response. Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s demeaning remarks went viral after a video surfaced online the next day in which he could be heard wondering how much CM Banerjee was selling for. Tamluk, along with seven other Lok Sabha constituencies, will vote in the sixth phase on May 25.