Alleging that the new State Election Commissioner Alapan Bandopadhyay was acting as an agent of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her “party of hooligans Trinamool Congress”, the Opposition parties of Bengal including the left, BJP and the Congress on Thursday decided to boycott the re-polling at 11 booths in Bidhannagar and Asansol municipal corporations.

“This is nothing but a farce and we do not want to be a party to a farcical election” CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb who met Governor KN Tripathi registering his party’s protest against “illegal and unconstitutional conduct of the State poll panel in conducting the civic elections” said adding the “left Front has decided to boycott the Friday’s re-elections.”

The BJP also said it was not participating in an election which was being conducted by “the current SEC who is an agent of Mamata Banerjee.” Alapan Bandopadhyay, a 1987 IAS officer who was touring Bhutan long with the Chief Minister, was rushed to take up the new position after his predecessor SR Upadhyaya resigned following pressure from senior Trinamool Ministers who wanted the counting process to start immediately.

The Opposition parties immediately demanded countermanding of elections and announcement of fresh polls which was opposed by the Trinamool Congress.

The new SEC on Thursday declared re-polling in only 9 booths at Bidhannagar, two booths at Asansol and none at Bally leading the Opposition outfits to call it a farce. While the repolling would take place on Friday counting would be held on the day next.