Elections in 12 municipalities were held in different districts even as the CPI(M)-led Left Front withdrew their candidates in Burdwan and Chakdah and boycotted the polls crying foul. The CPI(M) also alleged heavy rigging, intimidation and violence in Panihati.
Elections were held in Chakdah in Nadia, Panihati and Habra in North 24-Parganas, Diamond Harbour in South 24-Parganas, Burdwan town and Guskara in Burdwan district, Dubrajpur in Birbhum, Mekhliganj and Haldibari in Cooch Behar, Alipurduar in Jalpaiguri, Dalkhola in North Dinajpur and Balurghat in South Dinajpur.
Significantly, the withdrawal of candidates by the CPI(M) from these municipality elections, brought back the memories of 1972 Assembly elections when the Left Front had similarly boycotted the polls.
CPI(M)’s Burdwan district secretary Amal Haldar said that the CPI(M)’s polling agents could not enter the booths because of intimidation of the ruling party workers.
Echoing his charge, former state industry minister and heavyweight CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen said that the party was forced to withdraw its candidates in Burdwan municipality because the election had been turned into a fiasco.
Not only our polling agents but even our candidates were feeling insecure. All these intimidation took place before the eyes of the administration. The role of polling officers was also not impartial,” Mr Sen added.
The CPI(M) withdrew all their candidates contesting in 35 wards in Burdwan municipality.