![\"'Hope](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130105639,imgsize-1513378,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/untitled-design-19.jpg\" "\\"TMC")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: A meeting between the Trinamool Congress<\/a> (TMC) and the Election Commission<\/a> (EC) on Wednesday morning lasted under 10 minutes and ended on a tense note, with EC sources alleging that TMC MP Derek O’Brien “shouted at the Election Commission functionaries and asked chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar not to speak”.Sources said the CEC had to ask O\u2019Brien to maintain decorum in the Commission room, telling him that \u201cshouting and indecent behaviour is not appropriate\u201d.After the Rajya Sabha MP was done raising points on behalf of his party, and as the CEC began to respond with the assertion that the coming polls in West Bengal will be \u201cfear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, inducement-free and without any chhaapa, booth jamming or source jamming\u201d, Derek allegedly interrupted him, saying that he had come to speak and not to listen. He then left the room in a huff with the rest of the delegation.As per EC sources, the meeting began with the Trinamool Congress presenting a memorandum to the Commission. As per usual practice, the party fielded its leader \u2014 in this instance, Derek \u2014 to speak first. However, he began speaking \u201cin a raised voice and a combative tone\u201d, an EC official told TOI.Derek accused the EC of not responding to multiple letters written by his party expressing concerns over a host of issues. The Rajya Sabha MP also raised objections to the \u201cmotivated\u201d transfers of senior officers of the West Bengal administration and police in the run-up to the polls.He further accused the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer of bias, pointing out that his recent visit to Nandigram coincided with that of BJP leaders.A source said Derek, soon after presenting the party\u2019s case in an \u201cinappropriately hot-headed manner\u201d in a small Commission room that held no more than 7-8 EC representatives, announced: \u201cI am done speaking\u201d.When the CEC started to respond, the MP allegedly interrupted him, saying that he had come to the meeting to speak and that the Commission should only listen. He then walked out in a huff, with the parting shot: \u201cI hope you sleep soundly tonight\u201d.<\/div>\n\n