CPM to engage 1 lakh social media volunteers to expose Trinamool Congress’s poll violence in West Bengal

KOLKATA: West Bengal CPI(M) will engage about one lakh party members and activists as social media volunteers to take photographs of any poll-related disturbances and send those to a specific app that the Left party would create for the upcoming state assembly elections.

"We are planning to engage these volunteers whom we call reporters to take photographs in and around any poll booths where Trinamool activists and their miscreants would try to terrorise electors or prevent polling officials from carrying out their jobs independently and impartially," a senior CPI(M) state secretariat member told ET on Tuesday.

The party plans to send these photographs to the Election Commission, urging it to take steps against any poll related disturbances.

CPI(M) insiders allege that Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress will resort to violence to intimidate electors and win the elections. "We need to prevent such moves by the ruling party and it is not possible to challenge them physically. We have, therefore, decided to get photographic evidence of Trinamool terrorism during elections," a party leader said.

Trinamool Congress leaders on their part claimed CPI(M) knew well that they would not be able to increase their seats in the state assembly this time and the party is making various moves to ensure its existence in Bengal politics.

"On one hand they are blatantly seeking a poll alliance with the Congress and on the other they trying to spread canards against Mamata Banerjee," said Trinamool Congress secretary general and state's education minister Partha Chatterjee. "I don't understand how an outsider who has nothing to do in a specific election booth, can enter the venue and take snaps. It is the Election Commission which enjoys extreme freedom to conduct a free and fair elections and I hope the poll panel would not allow outsiders to enter booths to take photographs. If such things happen, we will certainly object to this and take up the issue with the Commission," he said.