If the Assembly elections meant the ouster from power in West Bengal to the CPI(M) in 2011, the forthcoming panchayat elections is going to be more dreadful for the party in comparison. In what the worried Marxists have started seeing as an ominous sign, is the dearth of suitable and formidable candidates who can make a dent in the rural vote bank of the Trinamul Congress.
In the post-Assembly poll period, a massive erosion of the support base within the party’s rank and file due to a tendency to change camps came to notice in many districts, according to party sources. North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan, East Midnapore and West Midnapore are among those districts where the switch-over of the comrades at the grassroots level to Mamata Banerjee’s party has remained unabated, a senior CPI(M) leader observed.
For obvious reasons, this trend has created an uncertain future about the party’s poll prospect as fielding candidates has become a huge ask, the leader added.
To tackle the crisis, the state CPI(M) has begun focusing on a unique strategy: field “independent” candidates and support them from behind, party insiders revealed. The strategy, party sources indicated, was the brain-child of CPI(M) politburo member Surjya Kanta Mishra who proposed it at the party’s state secretariat meeting at the party’s headquarters at Alimuddin Street recently.
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Defaulting traders face KMC action
age
correspondent
Kolkata, may 20
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is taking stringent measures against the traders at the municipal markets for not clearing their dues. Acting tough against traders who have made it a habit of not clearing rent and electricity dues payable to the KMC, the civic body’s market department has launched a drive against such errant traders by sealing their shops and disconnecting the electricity. The drive has been launched first at the SS Hogg Market. Member, mayor-in-council, markets, Debasish Kumar said that the board will take necessary action in other municipal markets as well.
According to the officials of the marketing department, a shop was sealed and power was disconnected of another trader for long pending dues. This was undertaken as per the instructions from the MMiC and municipal commissioner Arnab Roy. The KMC has 25 markets under its jurisdiction. “We started the drive with the Hogg Market as it is the largest market owned by the KMC and will give a strong message to defaulters of other markets as well. There are many traders who have long pending dues but do not respond to the notices,” Mr Kumar said.