WB oppn parties demand central forces for panchayat polls

Opposition parties the CPI(M), the Congress and the BJP today demanded that central forces be deployed for holding free and fair panchayat election in West Bengal.

The state election commission (SEC) today met representatives of the political parties and discussed preparations for the upcoming panchayat polls.

The SEC is yet to announce the date for panchayat polls in the state but is likely to be held during the middle of the year.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said the SEC is still not properly prepared to hold the polls.

"It seems the SEC is not prepared to hold the polls as of now. They should first prepare themselves. We want the panchayat polls to be free and fair," he said.

Senior BJP leader Jaiprakash Majumdar said the SEC should ensure proper deployment of central forces in order to hold free and fair polls.

Reacting to the demands for deployment of central forces, State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said it is for the SEC to decide.

"They have forgotten the election results of 2013 panchayat polls, 2014 Lok Sabha and 2016 Assembly polls. In those elections, central forces were deployed but still we had won as people of Bengal are with us," said Chatterjee, also a senior leader of the Trinamool Congress.