The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has won about 35 per cent of seats unopposed in the panchayat elections scheduled for May 14 as Opposition candidates either were prevented from filing nominations or were forced to quit the poll battle.
There has been pouring complaints of rampant pre-poll violence and obstruction in filing of nomination papers that had led to multiple law suits.
As the time for withdrawal of nomination ended on Saturday, the total number of seats won by Mamata Banerjee’s outfit — aided and abetted by her “seasoned generals” like Anubrata Mondal, Subhendu Adhikary, et al — stood around 20,000 against the total number of 58,692, sources said.
In 2013, the Trinamool had won over 10 per cent of the seats unopposed. Ten years before that, it was the left that had won 11 per cent of the panchayat seats without contest.
Trinamool goons’ violence and obstruction in filing nomination papers by aspiring Opposition candidates in Bengal had left more than 500 people injured and at least seven others dead.
Not satisfied at the feat, Trinamool president of Birbhum district Anubrata Mondal said, “Even on the election day, people will see how Unnayan (Bengali equivalent for development) will stand on every road to greet them and the Opposition parties.”
In Birbhum, not a single Zilla Parishad seat could be contested by Opposition parties.
Apart from Mondal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Nandigram spearhead, former MP and present Minister Subhendu Adhikary had also announced a Rs 5-crore reward for “any district party unit which will give him a Opposition-free board.”
Reacting to the development, CPI(M)’s State secretary Suryakanto Mishra on Monday said, “In Bengal democracy has rotted. All election is won here with arms and muscle. let us rely on the people. They will ultimately bring us justice.”
Congress’ Adhir Chowdhury said winning 35 per cent seat unopposed amounted to “giving birth to chicken without eggs being hatched”.
Earlier the BJP, which had paraded its injured candidates and workers in Delhi last week, said democracy is being murdered in Bengal by armed goons of the Chief Minister.
“Was it not the same Mamata Banerjee, who had in 2011 said that she controlled goondasIJ Now, we can see what meant by that statement,” said Arunabha Ghosh, a senior advocate and a Congress leader.