Congress alleges attacks during nomination filing

The Congress today alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress was using terror tactics during filing of nominations by opposition candidates for the three phase panchayat polls in West Bengal.
"We have been receiving reports of attacks on our party candidates in East and West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Bardhaman and many other districts where the administration is inert," WBPCC president Pradip Bhattacharjee said.
"Democracy is in peril as the state government has unleashed a reign of terror before the panchayat polls," Bhattacharjee alleged and claimed that the state government was not making the required security force available even after the direction of the Calcutta High Court.

"We will not tolerate any move to undermine democratic values and the misuse of the administration. If required, we will take to streets to protest it," Bhattacharjee said.
He alleged that the TMC was trying to ensure that its candidates were elected uncontested and that there was no opposition.
To a question, the WBPCC president said he did not think that the panchayat elections will be stalled due to the conflict between the state government and the state election commission.