After witnessing months of political skirmishes, Bengal went for the first phase of panchayat elections on Wednesday amid reports of stray violenceand intimidation filtering in from different parts of the State.
Elections would be held in three Jangalmahal districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura in the first phase. All these districts were hitherto controlled by the Opposition left Front which has this time been given to taste its own bitter medicine by the ruling Trinamool Congress amid complaints that thousands of their candidates have been forced to withdraw from the fray.
Such is the organisational state of the once mighty Marxists that State CPI(M) secretary Biman Bose was forced to call upon the left supporters to “vote for Independent candidates — barring the ones who are Trinamool Congress rebels — where there is no nomination from the left Front.”
The left had failed to put up candidates in about 6,000 seats on account of threats, Bose said. The Congress and the left had in many places arrived at seat-adjustments to ensure that anti-Trinamool Governments collect in the same basket, PCC insiders said.
After a long legal battle and uncertainty over adequate forces and phases, the polls are finally taking place in five phases. Elections to 58,865 seats would be held on July 11, 15, 19, 22 and 25. Results would be declared on July 29. About 11 per cent seats have been won uncontested.
Meanwhile, amid continued poll violence, a Congress legislator from Amta in Howrah was seriously injured and about 40 homesteads were burnt down after alleged Trinamool Congress went on a rampage.
“They have burnt the houses belonging to the Congress beating up brutally our MlA Asit Mitra,” PCC president Pradip Bhattacharya alleged, saying his party had given a “black day” call on Wednesday and would hold street protests throughout the State. The Trinamool denied the allegation. Former CPI(M) MlA Rabindranath Mitra was also injured in the attack.