“Getting a ban imposed on the poll campaign of Mamata Banerjeeji in fact reflects the desperation of a BJP losing the election. Samajwadi Party is symbolically with her dharna,” Yadav said in a tweet. “Hope the independent Election Commission will also impose a ban on those talking of religious divide in terms of ‘shamshan, kabristan’,” he added.

TMC MP Derek O’Brien had on Monday slammed the EC’s decision, calling it a “black day for democracy”.

“Today is a black day in Indian democracy. They cannot beat us, that is why they ban us.”

The EC, on Monday, banned Banerjee from campaigning in the ongoing state elections for 24 hours from 8 pm and said she had made “highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process”.

The ban came ahead of the fifth phase of assembly polls in the state on 17 April.