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With the election to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and 91 municipalities across West Bengal nearing, political violence has reared its ugly head in the state as ruling TMC and opposition parties traded charges and counter-charges.
Opposition parties, including the Left, Congress and BJP, accused the TMC of unleashing a reign of terror to stop them from filing nominations and campaign during the polls. Refuting their allegation, the TMC leadership alleged that the Opposition was trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the state.
"Never before such a situation was created where opposition candidates are not allowed to file nominations. Even if they file it, they are forced to withdraw. The TMC doesn't believe in democracy and that is why they resorted to violence and undemocratic means to scuttle the opposition," CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra charged.
Mishra, also the Opposition leader, apprehended that the upcoming KMC polls on April 18 and municipal polls on April 25, might witness violence. "They (TMC) are determined not to allow free and fair polls. But we have full faith on the masses and we won't allow them to have a free run," he said.
On the Opposition's complaints of poll violence by the ruling party, state Election Commissioner S R Upadhyay said, "Whenever we are receiving any complaint we are informing the police authorities to investigate the matter and take action. We have been taking action on each and every complaint," he said.
Refuting the charges, State Food and Civil Supplies Minister and senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick said that "politically bankrupt CPI(M) is trying to make violence an issue as they have lost the public support". "These are all baseless allegations. The fact that they are making such allegations prove that there is a democratic atmosphere in the state. During their 34 year rule, the opposition was not even allowed to speak. They know that they are going to lose," Mullick said.
