Race for writers’

“It was alleged that Ghosh had used obscene comments about Banerjee at a rally. We have asked the district election officer to look into the matter and send us the video footage and transcript of th CPM leader’s remarks,” said Additional Chief Electoral Officer Nikhil Kumar Sahana. He said that after receiving the report,the CD containing the video footage will be send to the EC office in New Delhi.

The EC has also sent a letter to senior CPM leader and Housing Minister Gautam Deb about his appearance on TV channels on the day of the polls. Joint Chief electoral officer,dealing in expenditure monitoring,Dibyendu Sarkar,said the EC had asked Deb to explain why he appeared in the electronic media on poll days. Explanation has also been sought from Trinamool candidate Paresh Pal on the same grounds.

Chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta said the Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has cautioned all the political parties against violating poll code. “Quraishi had asked the representatives of the political parties to abide by the model code of conduct as numerous complaints of violation have been received,” said Gupta.

‘Left stole money,not we’

Dhanekhali: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said the Left politics was a ‘shame’ for the state. She said the Left parties had no reason to stay put in power as it failed to achieve anything worthwhile during its 34 years of rule except spreading canards about opposition party leaders,Mamata told a public meeting here in Hooghly district.

‘’The Left Front government has stolen public money and turned the state into a bankrupt one,but Trinamool Congress is not run by anybody’s fund. We are not dishonest and corrupt,’’ she said.

Calling upon voters to answer decisively to attempts at intimidation to common people by Left party cadres,she assured them that they would be protected in the event of the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance coming to power. ‘’The alliance government will protect the interest of people with employment,land for the landless,hospitals for better treatment and providing better governance,’’ she said.

The Trinamool chief also said that her government would set up a handloom hub at Dhanekhali and ensure work for 100 days under the MGNREGA scheme and BPL cards.

Alleging that during the 34-year rule,the Marxists have killed 75,000 people,she said that the CPI-M must be punished for their each and every misdeed.

Bihar CEO to act as special observer

Kolkata: The Election Commission has assigned Bihar Chief Election Officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh to act as special observer in the fourth phase of Bengal Assembly elections on May 3,covering 63 seats across four districts. Announcing this on Friday,West Bengal CEO Sunil Kumar Gupta said Rakesh would be arriving here on May 1 and then going to East Midnapore district.

In the next two days,Rakesh will visit Hooghly,Howrah and areas in Burdwan district where polling will be held in the fourth phase,Gupta said.

He said EC officials under Expenditure Monitoring Cell in consultation with the IT department were conducting raids and monitoring expenditure of the poll contestants.

He said United Bank of India,Allahabad Bank and Trinamool Congress were yet to submit replies against the show-cause notice issued by the commission regarding transaction of funds.