In what is being viewed as Trinamool Congress’ plans to sell a legal defeat in the Supreme Court to garner minority votes, Bengal’s ruling outfit is planning to land a fresh appeal before the Apex Court for rescheduling the panchayat polls before the Ramzan.
Much to the discomfiture of the State Government which had from the outset ignored the State Election Commission’s decision for a five-phase poll, the court had on Friday ordered a five-phase election with the help of Central forces. Polls are to be held on July 11, 15, 19, 22 and 25. Concluding polls before Ramzan would be impossible because it takes time to move forces from one place to another.
Party MP Kalyan Banerjee and State Minister Firhad (Bobby) Hakim on Saturday said though the Government would abide by the “court’s order, we are thinking of filing an appeal to let poll be completed before Ramzan.”
The ruling party had not yet decided whether to file the appeal itself or get the Government to move the court.“There are about 50,000 minority candidates in fray,” Banerjee said reminding how the polls if held during the Ramzan period would bring inconvenience not only for the candidates but also for the “30-35 per cent of the population who belong to the minority community.”
Pundits said it was a ploy to win back the gradually eroding minority base. “They want to be in a win-win situation by converting an adverse order into votes,” said CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb.
“From the very beginning they had plans to postpone the panchayat elections beyond the general elections so that the erosion in their vote bank does not get recorded,” said Congress leader Nirbed Roy.
“But having failed to do so they planned to conduct the polls in a single or two-phases without the Central forces so that they could win most seat with the help of their goons,” but after the Supreme Court order “the Trinamool is nervous about the results” so they were now trying to raise the minority cause once again to win the votes.
“They know that chances of their getting a favourable order are remote as polls cannot be delayed constitutionally. So if their appeal fails they will go to the minorities blaming the Opposition,” Congress leader Abdul Mannan said adding that “though elections during the Ramzan period would cause problems, it is the State Government which is responsible for the delay as they had been dilly-dallying with the process by refusing to abide by the Election Commission’s directives and allowing the case to go to the court.” The Muslims would see through the Trinamool’s mischievous plans and vote accordingly, he said.