Report: In nomination stage,9 political murders,400 clashes

According to the report,which has been submitted to the Home Department,at least 400 political clashes have taken place.

However,the report stated that most violence were factional feuds of the ruling Trinamool Congress. Of the 400 clashes,as many as 150,the report said,were among Trinamool factions. Most of such intra-party clashes took place in Birbhum,Burdwan and North 24-Paraganas.

The report,however,said that there was not a single clash of CPM factional feud and only one Congress intra-party clash was reported during the period. From June 5 to June 17,when the nomination filing process for the three phases ended,385 political clashes were reported from several districts.

Significantly,the panchayat elections in the state has always been marred by instances of political violence. In the 2008 panchayat elections,58 people were killed.

Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee,however,played down the reports of poll violence saying,“the incidents of murders have no connection with the election”. Terming it as “nothing very serious”,Mukherjee said: “There have been very less number of political clashes. In every state,before the elections,political clashes happen. It is nothing serious.”