Opposition parties in South Dinajpur have failed to file their nomination papers for all the seats for the upcoming rural elections in the state. A majority of the opposition party leaders have raised a united voice against the ruling Trinamul Congress and the “arrogance” of its party workers in every block of the district, mainly in Gangarampur, it is learnt.

Trinamul district leaders, on the other hand, have refuted the allegations, and claimed that the Opposition parties were unable to file their nominations because of their lack of support in the ground level.

On the other hand, Left parties like the RSP, CPI-M and the CPI failed to file even a single nomination for the Panchayat samity and panchayats. More than 30 seats are still left for the panchayat samity, and in the Panchayat level, more than 300 seats are still left untouched, it is learnt.

“Due to the rampant threatening and attacks launched by TMC-backed miscreants, we were unable to file 100 percent nominations. The administration is also working for the TMC. We will still fight. I hope all our candidates will win with support from the voters,” district secretary of the CPI-M, Narayan Biswas, said.

Interestingly, in most of the cases in Gangarampur block, the opposition parties were debarred from filing their nominations after the town remained an epicenter of violence from the very first day of filing of nominations.

According to BJP sources, the party did not submit more than 100 nominations for the panchayat level seats and most of them are in the Gangarampur block. However, the BJP has successfully submitted 100% nominations in Balurghat, Tapan and Hili, sources claimed.

“We have mass support in the rural belt. In some pocket areas we were not able to submit the nominations due to the attacks launched by the TMC miscreants. We are confident that we will win most of the panchayat, panchayat samity and zilla parishad seats. But this will be only possible if the administration maintains a neutral position,” Suvendhu Sarkar, the district president of BJP said.

TMC district president Biplab Mitra, meanwhile, claimed that the Opposition parties failed to file 100% nominations because they lack organizational existence in the rural belt.

“The Opposition does not have a strong organizational hold in the rural level. There were no incidents of attacks or threats as they have no candidates for most of the seats and that is the reason why they are blaming us. TMC will be winning 100% seats in the district,” he claimed.