Announcement of dates of panchayat elections in the state on Saturday have evoked the strong reactions from the Opposition camp. While BJP state president, Dilip Ghosh felt that election itenary is an indication of the ruling party running scared, Congress Legislature Party chief whip Manoj Chakraborty felt that central forces should oversee the poll process and senior CPI-M leader, Sujan Chakraborty said that the poll schedule seeks to put the Opposition at a disadvantage.
The poll schedule is an indication of the ruling party running scared of the Opposition, the BJP state president said. Such a mind set is not in keeping with the tall claims of Trinamul government of having done much for the rural areas, he said.
Given the law and order situation in the state, deployment of central forces during the panchayat polls is essential, the Congress leader said. Otherwise, the goons enjoying the patronage of the ruling party will loot the votes, he said.
The hurry in announcing the panchayat election schedule is a pointer to the fact that ruling party wants the Opposition unprepared for the rural polls, senior CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty said. The election schedule has been arranged in a manner to put the Opposition at a disadvantage, he said.
Mr Partha Chatterjee, Trinamul Congress secretary general, said, “The Oppositions believe in court and election commission but they have least contact with the people.”