The Election Commission today announced that two special observers would visit the state tomorrow while a delegation of ‘Sanyukta Morcha’ comprising Left Front, Congress and the ISF has today submitted a deputation with the EC alleging violation of Model Code of Conduct by the Trinamul Congress.
The EC has planned to appoint 500 observers and three police observers per district for the eight-phased elections.
“Two special observers, Vivek Dubey and Ajay Nayak, will be in state tomorrow and they have already been briefed about the past incidents of violence,” said an EC official, adding that the commission has devised a foolproof plan for monitoring law and order situation while GPS-equipped vehicles would be deployed this time.
According to sources, 295 companies of CAPF are expected to reach West Bengal by 8 March and more companies would start coming from third phase onwards.
Alongside, the ‘Sanyukta Morcha’ delegation led by CPI-M leader Rabin Deb today submitted a deputation with the EC, alleging MCC violation by TMC chief, Mamata Banerjee and leader Firhad Hakim.
Addressing the Press, Deb said, “It was a total violation of MCC when Mamata Banerjee and Firhad Hakim met the RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav at the state secretariat, Nabanna, to discuss about poll alliance. This cannot be done inside a government institution. Nabanna is not Trinamul’s party office.”
The CPI-M leader further alleged that despite the prevailing MCC, Miss Banerjee’s photo is still being used in state government schemes like ‘Ma’ where rice and egg meal is provided for common people.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, with Hakim as the chairman of the board of administrator, is constantly using TMC supremo’s photos in every civic body schemes as a vote campaign.
Adding to these, he alleged ISF workers are being attacked by TMC workers in several districts.
Meanwhile, ‘Votekarmi Aikya Mancha’, a platform for poll workers, today demanded that they be given one hour break since the poll timing has been extended by 30 minutes. Swapan Mondal, general secretary of the organization also added they have requested that TMC’s Birbhum leader Anubrata Mondal be kept in ‘house arrest’ on the day of polling since he recently threatened to assault central forces if they pose stiff resistance.
TMC violating MCC: BJP
A day after Election Commission (EC) directed petrol pumps to remove hoardings carrying photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi advertising central government schemes, BJP’s state vice-president and spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya today alleged TMC of violating model code of conduct (MCC) by putting up posters to publicise state-run schemes in the city.
Bhattacharya said TMC is also obstructing the roads and traffic movements elsewhere where BJP is going to organise any meetings or rallies.
“We respect ECI’s order regarding removal of hoardings of central government schemes with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures, similarly, we hope TMC will do the same and respect EC order. Even TMC is distributing spectacles in rural and urban areas to advertise state government schemes,” he said.
TMC however denied the allegation and said the name of the patients were registered a month before MCC came into effect so spectacles were distribution under “chokher arogya” scheme was held today at Biswanathpur Hospital in Deganga but hospital authority stop them later.
Bhattacharya today also added that the saffron party will conduct Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) every year and will maintain transparency if voted to power.
“TMC has engaged party workers to do acts of despotism. The party will be extinct after poll,” he said.