Opposition parties cry foul over 'lacunae' in CPF patrolling

Opposition parties today hailed the voter turnout in LWE area in the first phase of state Assembly elections but also hit out at the government saying there were 'certain gaps' in the patrolling of central police forces in the areas that went to polls.
Registering a heavy turnout, an estimated 79 per cent voters today cast their ballots in 18 constituencies in the first phase in West Bengal till 5 PM, many of which are located in areas which had earlier witnessed Maoist violence.
"The election has been more or less free and fair. People have voted massively. But in certain areas the election has not been free and fair as TMC tried to use its election machinery and part of administration to deter the poll process," CPI(M) politburo member Mohammed Salim said.

Leader of opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra in a tweet said the people have given a clear message of ousting the TMC from power.
"The people has given a clear message today's first phase of d Polls - Ousting of d TMC from power is inevitable!!! #PeoplesPower," Mishra tweeted.
Eighteen constituencies went to the polls in the first part of the first phase election, while elections will be held in another 31 seats in second part of the first phase on April 11.

"There has been a huge turnout which is a good indication. But there has been lacunae on the part of the Central forces as there have been gaps in their patrolling. There have been incidents of state police standing inside polling booths, contradictory to what Election Commission has said that no state police will be allowed inside the booth," senior state Congress leader and MP Pradip Bahttacharya said.

The BJP leadership too expressed their satisfaction over the high percentage of polling but had complaints over certain gaps in the patrolling of the central forces.
"It is good that there has been a high percentage of polling. But there are complaints from certain parts about the role of central forces. We will inform the Election Commission about it so that those gaps can be sealed in the next phases," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said.