Trinamool draws ire for civic poll violence

The manner in which panchayat polls in West Bengal are being fought has drawn severe criticism from intellectual and social circles.

The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday found itself in an uncomfortable situation when even artists and intellectuals known to be close to the ruling party openly condemned “the attempts to win the panchayat polls without any contest”.

Eminent citizens like state’s former advocate-general Bimal Chatterjee, theatre personality Bibhash Chakraborty, musician Pallav Kirtania, singer Pratul Mukhopadhay and rights activist Sujato Bhadra held a press conference condemning attempts to prevent the Opposition parties from participating in the polls.

“If there are no free and fair polls there is no democracy. What we get is a crippled democracy,” Mr Chaterjee said. Interestingly, during the 2013 rural polls, when the matter went to Calcutta High Court, Mr. Chaterjee was representing West Bengal government as the advocate-general.

Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee said the intellectuals who held the press conference had been misguided. “We will reach out to them and try to convince them with facts,” he said.

Meanwhile, a section of journalists held a protest rally condemning the attack on media persons covering rural polls.

TMC may get a record win

Despite putting up candidates in maximum number of seats at the Gram Panchayat [GP] level, the BJP managed to file nominations in only 57% of seats.

It is now expected that the Trinamool Congress will win maximum number of seats at all levels uncontested.