Blaming West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose for the violence during the panchayat polls, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders here alleged that the violence instigated by him in some pockets led to stray incidents in the state.

Addressing the media, Dr Shashi Panja, a cabinet minister in West Bengal government, said out of a total of 61,569 booths across the state, major violence took place at eight to nine booths and stray violence took place at another 60 booths. In 14 districts, there was not a single incidence of violence.

Advertisement

“Every death is painful. But 60 per cent of those who died were our leaders or supporters,” she said, adding that in the bordering areas, the BSF jawans told the voters to vote for the BJP.

Kunal Ghosh alleged that the CPI-M, the Congress, the BJP and the ISF had conspired to cause violence in some pockets just to malign the image of West Bengal.

“They are being instigated by the governor and the narrative has been built in such a way that there is violence across the state and election in Bengal is a farce,” he said.

Echoing Dr Panja’s views, he said: “We do not support violence but most of those killed in violence are Trinamool supporters.”

“Some electronic media are showing pictures of violence, but are not showing the areas where the people have voted peacefully. If Trinamool Congress had snatched the ballots, then the vote percentage would have gone up. The opposition has realised that they have lost the election and to divert the attention of the people, they are talking about violence,” he said.

Bratya Basu said: “The Opposition should answer who had thrown water on the ballot papers in Dinhata.”

He alleged that the opposition had conspired to create trouble on the day of polling.”

He said that in most of the districts, the polling was held peacefully.