Mamata trying to influence polls with police help: CPI-M

The CPI-M on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a prominent Trinamool Congress candidate of trying to influence the upcoming elections to 25 constituencies in the final phase of assembly polls in the state with the help of police.

The Trinamool denied the allegations.

"Under the chief minister's leadership, the desperate ruling party is trying to prevent people from expressing their choice," Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra told the media here.

Noting Banerjee was now in north Bengal, near Cooch Behar district, he said: "I know who all are with her. She has taken responsibility of Cooch Behar. We know the officers who are with her. They are keeping close contact with the police stations, that too we know."

In a memorandum to the EC, the CPI-M alleged that Trinamool Lok Sabha member Suvendu Adhikari held a secret meeting on May 1 midnight with officer-in-charge (OCs) of five police stations in East Midnapore district with a motive to disrupt the polling process.

Adhikari is contesting from the Nandigram assembly constituency in East Midnapore on a Trinamool ticket.

Cooch Behar and East Midnapore will go to the polls on May 5 for the last phase.

"The decision taken in the secret meeting is that the OCs will supply liquor and meat to the central security forces. The money required for the purpose will be supplied by Adhikari," read the memorandum.

Claiming that the East Midnapore police superintendent has been verbally informed about the "conspiracy", the party sought the EC intervention in the matter including the removal of the OCs.

Mishra said the secret meeting was held at 1 am on May 2 at the Panskura Banamali College.

"We have all the information about the cash transactions and from which shop the materials will be purchased for the central security forces to be deployed during the polls," he claimed.

Rubbishing the allegations, Trinamool MP Sisir Kumar Adhikari, who is also the father of Suvendu, threatened legal action against Mishra.

"Being an MP with high priority security, Suvendu's movement are constantly monitored by the police. This is nothing but malicious campaign and we will soon be initiating legal action against Mishra," he said.

"Apprehensive of the impending defeat, the CPI-M is resorting to false hood," said Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee.

--IANS

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