CPI-M leaders and workers staged a massive protest outside State election commission office demanding repolling in wards where their candidates and polling agents were assaulted and driven out of booths allegedly by TMC-backed goons.

The CPI-M has also approached the Calcutta High Court expressing concern over “fearful atmosphere” prevailing in the state that is infeasible for holding polls without proper security. The Left leaders such as Sujan Chakraborty, Rabin Deb, Shatarup Ghosh and others today staged agitation outside the SEC, condemning it for failing to conduct a free and fair KMC poll which instead was marred by violence against opposition candidates.

The CPI-M leader Rabin Deb, after KMC polls, said that time and again the SEC was warned that the ruling party in the state will unleash violence during polls but the commission paid no heed. “We had already intimated the commission that outsiders have been ferried in buses into the state by the Trinamul Congress a day before the election. We shared the details but the SEC paid no heed to our warnings. Several of our candidates were assaulted and polling agents driven out of booths and even threatened with dire consequences by TMC goons,” said Deb, addressing a Press conference.

He added that are several wards where free and fair polls were stifled by fear and intimidation. There was looting of vote, bombing in wards and absolute hooliganism by outsiders brought in by the TMC. We had informed that these men who were brought into the state were sheltered at Rammohan Manch but
SEC didn’t take any action,” he said.

Commenting on TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s remark over video footage showingTMC leaders involved in violence, Deb said, “Who is Abhishek Banerjee to ask for video footages? The authority is the election commission who is conducting the polls. Abhishek is himself another voter just like us. We have already shared information with the SEC.”

The CPI-M leader mentioned that Left is submitting the complaints with evidence to the municipal returning officer since TMC goons didn’t allow anyone to lodge complaints with the presiding officer. “We have demanded repolling in wards- 101, 102, 109 and 110 and 113 (part). Also, wards 2, 8, 10 (part) 17, 18, 19, 20 and 36 and 99 (part)”.