Bengal panchayat polls to be held in May, Oppn alleges meddling by TMC

KOLKATA: The crucial panchayat elections in West Bengal will be held in three phases between May 1 and 5, state chief electoral officer Amarendra Kumar Singh announced on Saturday, bringing model code of conduct into force immediately. The counting of votes will take place on May 8.

Filing of nomination will begin on Monday, April 2, Singh said but refused to clarify whether central security forces will be deployed during the polls.

“I’m not taking questions today. May be a decision will be taken later,” he told reporters.

Opposition leaders, who had been demanding a window of at least 45 days for campaigning, alleged that the schedule would help only the ruling Trinamool Congress. These rural polls are being considered as a test of strength for parties in Bengal before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Singh’s announcement on Saturday leaves political parties with only 30 days for campaign.

“The schedule has been planned to ensure that Opposition parties get no time to campaign. With the higher secondary exams on, there is a ban on using loudspeakers till April 14. We are exploring legal options,” BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh said.

Left Front parties also criticised the poll schedule.

“The state election commission decides dates in consultation with the state government. It seems the government did not want Opposition parties to campaign,” Sujan Chakraborty, leader of the Left parliamentary party in the state assembly, said.

Congress MLA Manoj Chakraborty said the government has “played a trick on us”. “Moreover, the chief electoral officer was silent on central forces. Without them, it’s impossible to hold rural polls in Bengal.”

TMC secretary general and state education minister Partha Chatterjee rubbished the complaints. “We have worked for the people for seven years. The Opposition parties are simply afraid to face the elections.”

The poll commission requisitioned 43,067 police personnel to deploy at 58,467 polling stations across 20 districts in the state.