CPI(M) files case against TMC for attack on LF candidates

The CPI(M) today lodged another complaint with the State Election Commission against Trinamool Congress for allegedly attacking Left front candidates on the first day of filing nominations for the first phase of panchayat elections in West Bengal.
The ruling Trinamool Congress, however, dismissed the complaint as baseless.
Additional DG (law and order) Banibrata Basu said a CPI(M) candidate was assaulted and his nomination paper snatched in Howrah (rural) area.
He said that one person was arrested on the charge of assaulting a Congress candidate at Barsul village in Bardhaman district. The candidate was hospitalised, he said.
The ADG, however, did not confirm who were the attackers.

CPI(M) leader Robin Deb alleged that Left Front candidates were either driven out or obstructed from filing nominations in many places in Bankura, Purulia, Bardhaman, South 24-parganas, Howrah and West Midnapore districts.

"In many places, our candidates were also assaulted and the police did not act at all," Deb alleged.
He said even after notification of poll schedules, the TMC had been flouting the code of conduct "repeatedly".
"We have drawn attention of the SEC to the violation of code of conduct by the state government and attack on our candidates and workers," he said.
When contacted, Trinamool Congress leader Sisir Adhikary dismissed CPI(M) charges as "unfounded" and claimed that is party was not involved in any such incident.

WBPCC president Pradip Bhattacharya said he had drawn attention of the state Governor M K Narayanan that instead of the proposed 400 observers, only 159 observers had been appointed "which is grossly inadequate".