Accusing West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress of terrorising opposition party workers and voters on the eve of the Howrah Lok Sabha by-poll, the CPI-M candidate Saturday asked the Election Commission to ensure safety of polling agents.
"The painful reality is that inspite of repeated complaints placed before competent authorities, the Trinamool Congress is terrorising opposition workers and voters with tacit support from the state administration," Sridip Bhattacharya, the candidate of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, said in a letter to the commission.
"We expect full protection to be provided to our polling agents in all the 1,851 booths on the polling day. Adequate security for their family members, who have already been threatened by the ruling party workers, must be ensured," he said.
While the Trinamool has nominated former international footballer Prasun Banerjee, advocate Sanatan Mukherjee is contesting on the Congress ticket. The CPI-M led Left Front has nominated Bhattacharya.
The election to the constituency was necessitated by the death of Trinamool parliamentarian Ambica Banerjee April 25.