A section of Trinamool Congress leaders, including MLA from Islampur in North Dinajpur, have said that they cannot understand how people will “finalise” candidates for the upcoming panchayat elections following an idea developed by the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is leading the ‘Jana Sanyog Yatra’ that reached Islampur sub-division in North Dinajpur district today.

It may be noted here that Islampur MLA Abdul Karim Chowdhury and his followers were not able to attend Mr Banerjee’s programme in Islampur today.

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“I cannot understand how people will select panchayat candidates. What is the necessity of the organisation and its structure from the booth level to the district level?” Mr Chowdhury was heard telling media persons.

Yesterday was the fifth day of the ‘Jana Sanyog Yatra’, which had reached DabgramFulbari in Siliguri late in the evening yesterday. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) general secretary addressed a meeting of party workers that continued till 11 pm there last night.

Arrangements were made there too for holding the vote for the selection of candidates. Selected party workers from gram panchayat to the booth level were voters who would select their candidates for the three-tier panchayat polls.

Very interestingly, a section of party workers allegedly boycotted the vote, while a section of them refused to vote to select the candidates for the gram panchayat.

Notably, party workers from six blocks, comprising over 42 Anchals (Gram Panchayat), were asked to cast their ballot.

A section of the general people as well as party supporters have also raised questions on how the common people will be selecting their candidates when only party workers have been asked to vote.

“Apart from the system of voting, there are two other systems for selecting candidates. Interested people are casting their votes in each public meeting venue whereAbhishek Banerjee is addressing the people. Another system is online-based through some telephone numbers provided by Mr Banerjee,” a party source said.

Party sources said that a huge number of people have preferred to nominate their candidates via the online mode to maintain secrecy.

It may be noted here that a professional team of Mr Banerjee has been working to organise everything for the ‘Jana Sanyog Yatra’ at each venue every day, conducting a survey among the people as well as supporters and finally maintaining records of online voting for the selection of candidates.

Sources also said that the online system is the best method for selecting the names of the candidates for the panchayat polls when a section of party leaders have been trying hard to manipulate the system of voting at Mr Banerjee’s meeting venue.

Reporters yesterday noticed that a section of leaders allegedly offered money to voters to vote for them, while that the rate of one vote was Rs 5,000.

It may be noted here that school teachers belonging to the Trinamool Congressbacked organisation were appointed as polling officers at a time when a group of party leaders wanted to appoint some party leaders to function as polling officers.

Interestingly, plainclothes police personnel were deployed in each polling booth to maintain law and order. Visibly confident, Mr Banerjee, though suffering from throat infection after delivering continuous speeches in the last five days, finally warned party leaders for their “tactics” to manage tickets for the rural polls.

Mr Banerjee also said: “After formation of the panchayats, I will review the performance of elected members and office bearers on a regular basis. Don’t think you have license for five years to loot public money, depriving the people who will be expecting better services from their progressive panchayat.”