: The Opposition parties in West Bengal accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of indulging in large scale rigging and terror tactics in the polls held in 91 municipalities across West Bengal.
Accusing the TMC of attacking democracy, Left Front chairperson Biman Basu said here on Saturday that the polls turned into a “farce” as the Central forces were turned into mere tourists and the police remained inactive.
“The Central forces just toured Hazarduari in Murshidabad as TMC goons rigged the elections,” Mr. Basu told journalists.
“Democracy was attacked by the TMC and we are determined to act against it,” said Mr. BasuHe also said that the Left Front had demanded re-polling in 300 booths in 91 municipalities, adding that the numbers were likely to increase as they would hold a meeting on Sunday to decide the final figure in this regard.
The Left Front demanded re-polling in 22 booths in Kalna in Bardhaman district and 75 booths in South 24 Parganas district.
Mr. Basu claimed that free and fair polling took place only in three wards in Katwa and accused the police of being inactive despite violence in the area.
He asked how so many outsiders were able to enter poll-bound areas despite State Election Commission’s instruction to seal them.
“TMC goons from Kolkata went to Bashirhat in North 24 Parganas to terrorise the voters,” said Mr. Basu alleging that the police shamelessly helped the goons.
Meanwhile, State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rahul Sinha accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of making the civic polls in the districts a “shameful chapter” in the history of West Bengal.
“The civic polls in the districts were held with thugs hired by the TMC running amuck and both the police and State Election Commission remained inactive,” Mr. Sinha told media persons. “Seeing the rigging in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls by the TMC, we are not at all surprised with use of muscle power in today’s (Saturday) polls,” he said.
Mr. Sinha criticised the State Election Commissioner S.R. Upadhyay for failing to perform his duties. “If he had minimum self respect, he would have resigned after the KMC polls,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress’ Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said “being aware of the defeat, the Opposition is now making fake allegations” against the ruling party.
“However we are postponing the post-election related press conferenceas we are busy managing today’s earthquake,” said the Secretary General.
The civic polls in the districts were held with thugs hired by the TMC running amuck
Rahul Sinha
State BJP president
