Tribals win the day for Left Front

The Opposition also alleges that the rigging ensured the Left Front’s victory in tribal belts.

For instance,in Jhargram (ST) constituency,the official records state around 3 lakhs votes were not polled. These votes belong to those booths where the tribal boycotted polls.

Since 1977,CPM has been winning this seat with a margin of nearly 4 lakh votes. However,in 2009,the margin has dropped to 2.9 lakh whereas in 2004 elections,CPM candidate Rupchand Murmu won this seat with a margin of around 3.5 lakhs.

“The vote-boycott calls were sounded in those villages that had committed anti-CPM votes. It seems to be a pre-planned strategy by the ruling party,” said Nirmal Ghosh,Congress district president. He added that rigging has played an important role to make the CPM win. In Salboni Assembly segment,Congress has received 4,454 votes whereas CPM received around 98,000 votes.

According to the records,in the booths of Salboni,the polling percentage was nearly 30 per cent till 2 pm and started rising later till it reached around 75 per cent.

Ghosh alleged rigging in Salboni and claimed that rigging was also reported in 176 booths in Garbeta where Congress received 23,000 votes and the CPM got 1.12 lakh.

Similarly in North Bengal,the polls were boycotted in 17 booths in Alipurduar (ST),as RSP candidate Manohar Tirkey defeated Trinamool’s Paban Lakra by 1,12,822 votes.

The polling percentage was around 34 per cent till 3 pm at several booths in the area. After 4.30 pm,the polling was around 65 per cent and reached 75 per cent at 5.30 pm.

According to official records,the polling percentage touched 81 per cent in the constituency. The Opposition feels it to be a clear instance of rigging.

Tirkey,however,said the voters realised that they have to be with the Left Front for the development. “There was a wide spread vote boycott call in my constituency. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha and Akhilbhartiya Adivasi Bikash Parishad planned the boycott so that we cannot get much votes. But when we received the news of boycott,we send our people to cast votes,” said Tirkey.

Tribal leader and state CPM committee member Manindra Gope said the majority of the tribal votes have never drifted from CPM to the Opposition.

“In Jhargharm (ST),CPM got the highest lead. In Alipurduar (ST) also,we have received a very good victory margin. Tribals are with us since 1960. We have been with them in all issues including land reforms,tribal language and development. The tribal uprising in the districts of West Midnapore,Purulia and Bankura is nothing but a conspiracy by the Opposition which did not work,” said Gope.