West Bengal panchayat elections: Amid reports of violence, TMC leader Derek O’Brien lists out deaths under CPI(M) rule

At least six people have been killed and several injured after violent clashes between rival groups broke out in several parts across the state.

Police block the way to Ghazipur where booths have allegedly been captured. (Express photo by Shubham Dutta)

As the opposition continued to train its guns on the Mamata Banerjee-led government over the increasing violence in the ongoing West Bengal Panchayat elections, senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien on Monday listed the number of deaths that took place since the 1990s and accused the CPI(M) and BJP of “deliberately trying to foment trouble”.

Taking to Twitter, the Rajya Sabha MP said, “To all ‘newborn’ experts on Bengal #PanchayatElections in State have a history. 400 killed in poll violence in 1990s in CPIM rule. 2003: 40 dead.Every death is a tragedy. Now closer to normal than earlier times.Yes, few dozen incidents. Say,40 out of 58000 booths. What’s %age ?”

To all ‘newborn’ experts on Bengal #PanchayatElections in State have a history. 400 killed in poll violence in 1990s in CPIM rule. 2003: 40 dead.Every death is a tragedy. Now closer to normal than earlier times.Yes, few dozen incidents. Say,40 out of 58000 booths. What’s %age ?

— Derek O’Brien (@derekobrienmp) May 14, 2018

He added, “CPI(M) and BJP are now so desperate that they are even ganging up with Maoists to kill/shoot/stab three Trinamool workers in different incidents in #Bengal today. Deliberately trying to foment trouble. Is this democracy?” Follow LIVE UPDATES here.

CPI(M) and BJP are now so desperate that they are even ganging up with Maoists to kill/shoot/stab three Trinamool workers in different incidents in #Bengal today. Deliberately trying to foment trouble. Is this democracy? #PanchayatElection

— Derek O’Brien (@derekobrienmp) May 14, 2018

At least six people have been killed and several others injured after violent clashes between rival groups broke out in several parts across the state. Reports of clashes and booth capturing were received from pockets of South 24 Parganas, West Midnapore and Cooch Behar districts. In South 24 Parnagas’ Bhangar, the ‘Jomi, Jibika, Bastutantra O Poribesh Raksha Committee’ accused armed miscreants of Trinamool Congress of kidnapping their Panchayat Samiti candidate Sariful Mullick and terrorising the voters.