Alleging that the voters of Nandigram are being intimidated, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership on Friday approached the Election Commission of India, urging it to ensure the security of voters. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram, which will go to polls on April 1.
In a letter submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, TMC MPs Derek O’Brien and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar have referred to nine locations where the BJP candidate is “harbouring armed criminals”.
“We call upon you to immediately intervene and direct necessary steps to be taken by police to forthwith apprehend all the outside anti-social elements hired and harboured by Suvendu Adhikari, at the above locations,” reads the letter.
Mamata in Nandigram
Ms. Banerjee also raised concerns over the possibility of violence and electoral malpractices at Nandigram.
“From March 28, I will be staying in Nandigram. I will keep an eye on everything. I will leave after the elections are over,” Ms. Banerjee said, addressing a rally at Daspur on Friday. She alleged that “goons from Uttar Pradesh have been arrested with firearms” in areas around Nandigram.
The TMC delegation also said that in certain Assembly seats — Patashpur, Egra, Bhagwanpur and Khejuri — which are going to polls on Saturday, there were apprehensions of electoral malpractices, and sought deployment of additional Central forces.
BJP State president Dilip Ghosh said that the people of West Bengal were aware of who had brought goons to the State. “This time, election will be free and fair, and anti-social elements will not be able to influence polls,” Mr. Ghosh said.
