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West Bengal is set to vote for its three-tier panchayat elections on Saturday amidst fear of poll-related violence. A total of 18 persons were killed leading up to the elections, with tensions being high since the announcement of the schedule on June 7.
Violence has long been a feature of West Bengal politics. Official data puts the death toll of the 2018 panchayat polls at 13. Besides, 30 people were killed in the run-up to the elections, considered the most volatile in decades. It won 34% of the seats uncontested, with Opposition candidates unable to file nominations.
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Fearing a repeat this time around, the Opposition has been sharpening its attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The total seats in these elections, which include gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads, are 73,887. A total of 61,636 booths have been arranged for the same. Out of these, 1,043 booths, about 10% of the total, will not see any voting since these seats have been won unopposed. Till Friday evening, of the 822 CAPF companies expected, 400 had reached West Bengal, with officials saying they expected more to come by midnight or Saturday morning.
State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha, who previously served as the Chief Secretary of the state, notified the election date on June 8, a day after assuming office. The Opposition has since been questioning Sinha’s move, saying he made the announcement “without any consultation”. They argued that they were left with only a handful of days for filing their nominations and also objected to single-phase polling.
Both the BJP and Congress went to the High Court seeking central forces. Finally, the court ordered the State Election Commission (SEC) to deploy 822 companies of central forces along with 70,000 state police personnel to oversee the process.
Governor C V Ananda Bose toured violence-hit areas, and has announced that he will be out on Saturday visiting booths. On Friday, hitting out at Sinha, he said: “If democracy is dead during this panchayat election, who is the killer? Will the State Election Commissioner please raise his hand?”
The TMC has accused Bose of rallying for the Opposition.
CPI(M) leader Md Selim said the poll would see a verdict against the TMC. “The party has realised that people are ready to give a verdict against their rampant corruption. Now, in the last hour, they are assembling their hooligans to create fear during the poll process.”
BJP state president Sukanta Majumder said the party was prepared on the ground. We have instructed all our leaders to follow the law. If the police fails to control the law and order situation, then our leaders will be forced to come out on the streets.”
