Para-military forces begin journey to poll-bound states

NEW DELHI: The Centre has moved around 10,000 para-military personnel, most of them to West Bengal, for area domination ahead of state assembly elections that will be announced on March 1. Over the next 10-12 days, 250 companies of Central forces, or around 25,000 personnel, will reach West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu to keep vigil as campaigning gets underway.

Sources in the government told ET that the Centre has committed around 60,000 para-military personnel to help the Election Commission to conduct free, fair and peaceful Assembly polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.

Most of these forces will be pulled out from various sectors of deployment, including Jammu and Kashmir and the counter-Naxal grid.

The multi-phased assembly elections are set to be held in April-May, with the first phase timed sometime for the second week of April.

While West Bengal has been assessed as most susceptible to political clashes and could also see an upsurge in Maoist activity, intelligence agencies have warned of possible attempts by the anti-talks faction of Ulfa, led by commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, to disrupt polls in Assam. There are intelligence reports that Baruah may target candidates.

The major chunk of Central forces will be concentrated in West Bengal, where violent clashes between supporters of CPM and Trinamool Congress, have become a near regular affair. This is why Election Commission does not want to wait for the actual polling day to deploy forces in the Left Front-ruled state.

The panel feels that stationing troops in sensitive polling booths well ahead of polling would help them carry out area domination, thus building up voter confidence and deterring anti-social elements from creating trouble. Deployment of troops at least three weeks in advance of polling is a normal tactic adopted by the Election Commission to instil a sense of confidence in the voter to come out and fearlessly exercise his/her franchise.