North 24 Parganas, Sept. 25 -- West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Samik Bhattacharya has strongly backed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar amid criticism from opposition parties, stating that he deserves "at the very least, the Padma Bhushan" for conducting peaceful elections and purifying electoral rolls in the state.

Taking a sharp dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Bhattacharya remarked that even leaders within the Congress do not take Gandhi's remarks seriously.

"The fact is, even the Congress party itself doesn't heed Rahul Gandhi's words; they don't take him seriously... Gyanesh Kumar deserves, at the very least, the Padma Bhushan," Bhattacharya said while speaking to reporters.

Lauding the conduct...