West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today lambasted the CPI(M) and Congress for delay in the holding of panchayat polls, and alleged that the Marxists preferred to go to court rather than face the vote.
"The CPI(M) always preferred to go to court to delay panchayat polls than to take part in the panchayat voting," Banerjee told an election rally in this West Midnapore district town, once known as a Naxalite stronghold.
She did not spare Congress in her hard-hitting speech for joining hands with the CPI(M) "in such a move".
Attacking the State Election Commission for not acceding to her government's suggestion for holding panchayat elections during winter, the Chief Minister said, "I understand the hardship of voters during Ramzan month and the hassles of the monsoon when panchayat elections are to be held."
"The SEC did not pay any heed to our suggestions when we wanted the polls to be held before the Madhyamik examination. Dates were even fixed before April 20, but the commission did not agree to that too," she said.
She said that Trinamool Congress had always preferred an early panchayat polls. "We want panchayat elections which the opposition did not."
Banerjee said that her party would give a fitting reply to all canards and charges levelled in the run-up to the panchayat polls in the voting.
Turning to her government's serious bid to usher in rapid development in the state, she said, "It will take at least 10 years to remove the dirt of 35 years left by the CPI(M) in Bengal."
She said that projects worth thousands of crores were under implementation in the state even as the Opposition had been crying foul.
