BJP approaches poll panel over Bengal law, order

Alleging that West Bengal's law and order machinery has been hijacked by criminals under the patronage of ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJP Monday approached the Election Commission to seek adequate security measures for the Sep 13 bypoll to two assembly seats.

Led by party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta here, seeking deployment of central paramilitary forces at all booths for the bypoll in Basirhat South in North 24-Parganas district and Chowringhee in Kolkata.

"Unfortunately, the law and order machinery in Bengal has been hijacked by anti-socials and criminals under the patronage and protection of the chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) and the Trinamool government," Naqvi told media persons after the meeting.

"So we have demanded that central paramilitary forces be deployed in all the booths. We have also demanded that North 24-Parganas District Magistrate Sanjay Bansal should also be removed from election duty," he said.

Naqvi alleged Bansal has been acting like a Trinamool worker and creating hindrance in conducting a free and fair poll. Like during the Lok Sabha polls, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer should be removed from poll duty this time as well.

The BJP leaders also urged the poll panel to look into the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

"We have asked the EC to give special emphasis to the illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators who enjoy Trinamool patronage and vote for it," said Naqvi.

Alleging that central paramilitary forces were not effectively put to use during the Lok Sabha polls, leading to large-scale rigging, the BJP delegation sought 40 companies of central forces for the bypoll to the two assembly seats.

"We have urged the charge of deploying the central forces be given to the EC observers and not district magistrates or superintendent of police. We have also asked the CEO to ensure the state police are not allowed to function within 100 metres of all the polling booths," added Naqvi.

A BJP delegation also met Governor K.N. Tripathi earlier in the week, seeking his intervention for ensuring the twin bypolls are peaceful and fair.

The bye-elections for the Basirhat South and Chowringhee assembly seats will be held Sep 13 and the votes will be counted Sep 16.