West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, fighting criticism against her government for failing to curb violence during the rural polls in the State, alleged on Saturday that a conspiracy was being hatched against her, and various central agencies were being used against her government.
Every day, central agencies like the CBI or the IT departments are being directed to act against the State government. One day, this will be counter- productive to those using this tactic, she said.
Addressing a one-day session at the State Assembly, she said that peace had been restored in the hills and in Jangalmahal, but there were forces at work to foment trouble in those areas.
Ms. Banerjee felt that rural polls had been less violent this time as compared to the previous rounds (when the Left was in power). She said poll-related violence and deaths during the panchayat polls this year are nowhere near the corresponding figures in the 2003 and 2008 panchayat polls.
She said maximum violence had taken place in Murshidabad and Malda, alleging that a central minister had resorted to ‘goondaism’ (hooliganism). She also claimed that majority of the persons killed in poll- related violence were Trinamool supporters.
Challenging Ms. Banerjee’s figures, the leader of opposition, Dr. Suryakanta Mishra said that altogether 25 persons have been killed in the poll- related violence, out of which 11 are from the Left, seven from Congress, four from Trinamool, one from the rebel Trinamool, one from Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) and one, an individual voter.
Left Front chairman Biman Bose told reporters polling agents were concerned over security for the counting phase..
