The Left Front has filed three complaints of intimidation of its candidates for the upcoming panchayat polls at New Town and Techno City police stations respectively.
A group of inebriated youth reportedly landed at the gate of a co-operative building on the Major Arterial Road in CC Block at midnight demanding to meet Tapati Ghosh, who stays there. Ghosh is contesting in seat no. 25 of the Jyangra-Hatiara no. 2 panchayat.
“This happened the day after she filed nomination. They abused the security guard who stopped them from going up. Tapatidi alerted us. The men stayed put at the gate arguing with the guard. When we arrived, they dispersed. The CCTV footage is available. The next day we filed a general diary at the police station,” said Saptarshi Deb, a CPM district committee member and the secretary of the party’s local area committee, who stays in BF Block.
Saswati Biswas, the party’s candidate in seat 26, was reportedly threatened outside her Sukhobrishti apartment by a group of eight-nine men.
“They told her she was contesting against the brother of a heavyweight Trinamul leader and would face grave danger if she did not withdraw. She told them she had no idea who she was contesting against and would speak to her party leaders. They left but came back soon, insisting that she come with them right then to withdraw her candidature. She got alarmed and called us. It took us a while to reach that side of New Town from Action Area 1. We contacted the security office of Shapoorji Pallonji and also filed a police complaint,” said Deb.
Biswas left town early next morning to stay away till the period for nomination withdrawal got over. The third general diary was filed by the candidate for seat no. 30 Rajat Ghosh.
“A group of 15-20 men landed up outside Rajat’sBalaka Abasan flat on June 19. His wife did not open the door. They also called up and abused a relative of his. Till 1 am, they stayed put at the main gate of the complex, waiting for him to return. I had anticipated such a situation and kept him away from home that night. Even while we were filing the GD at the thana, they went to his house in search of him as it was the last day of nomination withdrawal,” alleged Deb.
Unauthorised campaign
Another complaint has been lodged by the candidate of Seat 23 Bandana Chakraborty Samajdar, a resident of AC Block, near the NKDA Market.“Trinamul flags had been hung from their gate in such a way that they could hardly open the gate. No one in the co-operative apartment society had given them permission. Though they did not threaten her directly, we still informed the police and submitted a written complaint to the BDO (officiating as the returning officer for Gram Panchayat and PanchayatSamiti),” said Deb.