Trinamool organises rally against opposition's 'vandalism'

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Tuesday brought out a rally protesting against "vandalism" during Saturday's civic polls in three municipal bodies by the state's opposition parties CPI-M, BJP and Congress.

The rally - which stirred up a traffic chaos - started from College Square in north Kolkata at around 2 p.m. and ended at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the central part of the city.

Led by state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim, Power Minister Manish Basu, Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee and former public works and transport minister Subrata Bakshi, party supporters carried placards decrying what they alleged "political conspiracy" hatched by the opposition parties.

Other senior leaders were also present in the rally.

"The combined opposition of BJP-CPIM-Congress, which has lost ground in Bengal are now set to destroy the democracy that has returned to the state after 34 years of misrule," said a party leader.

At the end of the rally, Trinamool's secretary general and Education Minister Partha Chatterjee accused the opposition of "conspiring to derail growth".

Incidentally, the Trinamool has been accused of leading an assault on voters and mediapersons covering the elections to Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. At least 17 journalists, camerapersons and photographers sustaiend various degree of injury.

Polling was also held on Saturday for Asansol Municipal Corporation and 16 wards of the erstwhile Bally Municipality that has now been merged with the Howrah Municipal Corporation.

Following mounting protests, the State Election Commission postponed the counting of votes - earlier slated for Wednesday - to Friday.

There are reports that repoll may be held in some booths on October 8.