The Trinamool Congress has strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for breaking model code of conduct by announcing his intention to return Rs 3,000 crore confiscated by the Enforcement Directorate in its different raids to the people of Bengal.

"The Prime Minister knows that model code of conduct is in vogue after the declaration of elections by the Election Commission of India … any promise made by him in his official capacity that can influence voters amounts to breaking of model code of conduct … and he did so by promising to return Rs 3,000 crore confiscated by the ED to the people of Bengal," TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy said on Thursday.

In a telephonic conversation with Rajmata Amrita Roy of Krishnagar the Prime on Wednesday said that he was considering ways to return the looted money confiscated by the ED.

More than "Rs 3,000 crore of the people have been looted and the ED has confiscated that money … this money should go back to the poor people of Bengal from whom this money has been extracted … we are thinking to device some plan after the elections to return this money to the people," the Prime Minister told Roy asking her to tell the people about the Government's plans.

The said amount mentioned by the Prime Minister was taken from the poor people of the State as bribes for different works including giving jobs as school teachers, clerks etc.

Roy a scion is the BJP candidate from Krishnagar and has been pitched against Trinamool Congress heavy-duty nominee Mohua Moitra who was last year expelled from Parliament for his alleged involvement in the cash-for-query scam.

Referring to the Prime Ministerial conversation TMC minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that it was the duty of the Election Commission to keep a leash on such statements.

"MCC applies to all and does not target people selectively … had a lesser person made such statement the ECI would definitely have called for his explanation … but we hope the Commission will take cognizance of the statement made by the Prime Minister too … it has been made clearly to influence the voters ahead of the elections … it amounts to bribing the voters," she said.

The Prime Minister had earlier pep-talked Rekha Patra, another first-time candidate from Basirhat. She is one of the rebel faces who fought against arrested TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan's oppression at Sandeshkhali which hit the national headlines last month after women of the village revolted against sexual exploitation and land-grab by Shahjahan's henchmen.

Incidentally speaking about the Prime Minister's talks with Roy where he reportedly referred to Krishnachandra Roy's contribution to Bengal's social awakening, TMC nominee Mohua Moitra said, "the Prime Minister should have come with a better home work … as far as my knowledge goes it was not Krishnachandra Roy but Raja Rammohan Roy who led the renaissance movement … and I as a person know about only one Raja that is Raja Rammohan Roy and only one Rani that is Rani Rashmoni."