Panchayat poll: Oppn says HC order a defeat of Trinamool govt

Opposition parties today termed the Calcutta high court order on the panchayat polls as a "defeat" of the state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

An unfazed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the order and demanded that the polls should be held as early as possible. However, senior minister and TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee hit out at the the opposition, saying they had nothing to rejoice.

"People know everything and they will give a befitting reply in the election. The development process initiated by the Mamata Banerjee government could never be stopped or prevented," Chatterjee said.

If election process defers, it might coincide with Ramzan month and monsoon season causing inconvenience to all and the opposition parties never thought about it, he said.

Their reaction came after the Calcutta High Court quashed the state election Commission's (SEC) April 10 order withdrawing a notification for extension of deadline to file nominations in panchayat polls and directed it to allow nominations by issuing a fresh notification.

The high court also directed the SEC to reschedule the dates for panchayat election process and accordingly conduct the polls, after the BJP and other opposition parties moved the court opposing the poll panel's action.

"We welcome the Calcutta High Court's order. Now, we hope the State Election Commission will hold the panchayat elections following the court's order and as per the panchayat rules as quickly as possible because much time has been lost," Mamata Banerjee told reporters here.

She said she welcomed the order because she and her party were "always for vote" and wanted to protect democracy.

"We also want that the elections are held in a peaceful manner. The polls should be held as early as possible as the weather conditions would deteriorate with the rise in temperature," the chief minister said.

Opposition parties such as the BJP, the Congress and the CPI(M) that had moved the high court against the SEC, targeted the Trinamool Congress.

"We had requested the commission for filing of nomination online, but the SEC ruled it out and invited the troubles we had faced recently. The TMC never wanted a free, fair and peaceful panchayat poll. It wants to use terror tactics to keep the opposition away," state BJP state president Dilip Ghosh alleged.

He was referring to allegations that the TMC backed goons attacked and prevented opposition party candidates from filing nominations.

If time permits, the party will put up candidates in all the 58,000 seats, Ghosh said.

State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said, "We want a panchayat election that is free from terror and hooliganism. The judgement has brightened that hope."
Chowdhury said "people must be happy with what the court has directed."