Our 3 MLAs missing; 3 others threatened, offered money: CPM

“Dubrajpur MLA Bijoy Bagdi, Bandwan MLA Susanta Besra, and Purulia MLA Dhirendra Nath Mahato are victims of such atrocities (by Trinamool),” he said.

The three MLAs have lodged complaints with the Chief Election Commissioner of India, the Central Electoral Observer and to the state Chief Electoral Officer.

“Living in Birbhum, we have to be careful, given the earlier threats issued by Anubrata Mondal, the TMC district president. When I refused to meet TMC activists Rana Singh and Biswajit Sinha saying that I was away, the officer in charge of Khairasole police station called me up to find out my whereabouts,” said Bagdi.

He said that soon after, TMC MLA Monirul Islam called him up seeking “a favour” in the RS election.

Meanwhile, Besra claimed that he was offered a bag of money by a representative of local TMC leader Jagadish Mahato. “When I refused, Soumitra Khan, the MLA who had recently defected from Congress to TMC, called me up requesting me to join TMC. I refused that as well,” Besra said.

Mahato said he was contacted by the headmaster of a local school who asked him to cast his vote in favour of TMC. “When I denied, I was contacted by another leader of the area who said MP Mukul Roy had asked me to cast my vote in favour of TMC,” Mahato said.

Deb said they have contacted CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechuri requesting him to take appropriate steps. “TMC has thrown all rules out of the window. By threatening and offering posts in the party, they have managed to lure several MLAs and councillors. They also used police and administration shamelessly for political gains,” Deb said.

Denying the allegation, TMC all-India general secretary Mukul Roy said some MLAs from the opposition wanted to support the TMC “to defeat the unholy nexus of Congress and CPI(M). We are confident that we will win the four seats where we have put up candidates.”