With West Bengal all set to go to the second phase of polling on April 1, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has urged the Election Commission to not deploy security forces from the states headed by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) or the National Democratic Alliance.
According to a report by The Indian Express, a TMC delegation comprising party leaders Derek O’ Brien met the Chief Electoral Officer and urged the poll panel to “refrain from deploying armed forces from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and any other BJP/NDA-ruled states during the second phase of elections in East Midnapore and also for other phases to ensure that there is no partisan act in this election by the armed forces.”
“The delegation also requested the official to immediately round up any and all anti-social elements in East Midnapore and take them in preventive custody to ensure free and fair elections,” Indian Express quoted TMC leader Sashi Panja.
Recently, the TMC lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that Nandigram BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari is harbouring criminals and putting them up in different hotels and guest houses of West Bengal.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the TMC boss, is locked in a fierce contest with her protege-turned-adversary Adhikari in Nandigram in the East Midnapore district, which goes to polls in the second phase on April 1.
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