Taking cognisance of reports of violence allegedly perpetrated by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) the day the West Bengal Capital went for civic polls Saturday, the Left Front brought out a protest march here on Monday against the ruling party.
Led by Left Front chairperson Surjya Kanti Mishra and senior leaders Biman Basu, Rabin Deb and Manju Majumndar, the rally originated from Rani Rashmoni Avenue in central Kolkata and ended at the Lalbazar Kolkata Police headquarter. Slogans were raised against the police and the West Bengal State Election Commission. Interestingly, acknowledging “sporadic violence” some of the TMC leaders and Ministers have said that Left Front encouraged “more acute and pointed” violence and subversion of electoral process, during its tenure.
Condemning the reports of violence, Dr. Mishra said: “The Chief Minister [Mamata Banerjee] said police was the man of the match on polling day. Then why did her party supporters target the man of the match and fire gunshots at them? She does not have any answer for this.”
The TMC has driven the last nail in the coffin of democracy, said Left Front councillor Rupa Bagchi here on Monday.
Ms. Bagchi led other Left Front councillors on a silent protest march through the Kolkata Municipal Corporation building during the day.
“The TMC need not have indulged in so much of violence as the exit polls had predicted it would win 100 out 144 wards. The party deployed goons to threaten voters and our party’s polling agents in polling booths. They wanted to ensure an opposition free poll. Reports of violence throughout Saturday [polling day] shows that the party is fast losing popularity with the masses,” Ms. Bagchi said.
Terming the West Bengal State Election Commission as a “mere puppet” in the hands of the State government, Ms. Bagchi said the poll panel along with the police had helped the TMC to disrupt the polls.
