The Trinamool Congress today said that the people voted freely and peacefully in three phases of the panchayat election in West Bengal held till today, and hoped that the remaining two would also be peaceful.
"Democracy in the state was stifled during the Left Front rule. Our fight was to restore democracy here. Panchayat poll in the state was never so peaceful where the people have cast their votes freely," TMC General Secretary Mukul Roy told reporters here.
Admitting there were some stray incidents, he said that in the 2008 panchayat election, 22 people were killed. 17 people were killed before and 13 after the 2008 rural poll.
Roy also hoped that in the remaining two phases people would be able to cast their votes freely and peacefully.
