Kolkata civic polls: Centre, Mamata Banerjee tussle continues

KOLKATA: After the Centre refused to send its forces for Bengal's civic elections, Mamata Banerjee's government now plans to deploy three companies of CRPF posted in Darjeeling, for Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections on Saturday.These companies of CRPF jawans from Darjeeling will reach Kolkata on Wednesday and patrol all the 144 wards under the KMC till Saturday when elections will take place. Later, these forces will be deployed in the districts where elections in 92 municipalities will take place on April 25.

At present there are 48 companies of Central force jawans are posted in the state. While 45 companies of para-military forces are posted in Maoist-hit Jangalmahal area comprising three districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura, three companies are posted in Darjeeling.The state government does not want to withdraw Central forces from Jangalmahal and use them for civic polls because of Maoist fear. Only three companies from Darjeeling will be used for civic elections, according to sources in Nabanna, the state administrative headquarters.

Bengal BJP which has been demanding deployment of Central forces, on Tuesday asked the election commissioner, SR Upadhaya to write to the Centre directly seeking forces for the elections. BJP general secretary Asim Sarkar, in a memorandum to Upadhaya, said “We have carefully noted your helplessness.The state government is in no mood to bring Central forces for holding a free and fair municipal election. We request you, for the sake of a free and fair election, to write directly to the Union home minister briefing him the prevailing situation and request him to send Central forces over here. If you so desire, we can take up with the Union home minister your request.“

BJP state president Rahul Sinha, however, blamed the state government and the state election commission for their reluctance in bringing force from Delhi to hold civic polls on April 18 and 25. Sinha, who claimed a few days back that he had a talk with the Union home minister about deployment of Central forces for civic elections, told reporters on Tuesday that the state government did not want a free and fair polls and that was why they did not take up any initiative to bring Central forces for the polls.

Meanwhile, actress Rupa Ganguly who joined BJP recently, was attacked near Gopalnagar in South 24Parganas reportedly by Trinamool Congress activists while she was campaigning for BJP candidates contesting the KMC elections. Ruling party activists reportedly ransacked the stage set up by BJP workers to run their campaign.