Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that his party’s victorious candidates in the panchayat polls are being threatened by the police and goons, compelling them to join the ruling TMC. He urged Banerjee to look into the matter and take preventive steps before the formation of the panchayat boards.
"Despite violence (in West Bengal during the panchayat polls), wherever Congress candidates have won, police/political leaders/goons are threatening them by slapping murder and other charges, thus compelling them to save their lives through surrender by accepting TMC membership.
“If this goes on unchecked, it is bound to assume in the days to come a monstrous dimension, which will tell upon the democratic health of the nation as well as that of West Bengal," Chowdhury said in his two-page letter.
Chowdhury, the Bengal Congress president, also alleged that the “insatiable” thirst of TMC activists for more power and lucre is instrumental in shaping the concept of the “monocratic rule” in the state.
"Is this a civilised way of winning elections in the state of West Bengal, where you are the honourable chief minister for more than a decade! I would sincerely request you to desist from using police and goons by torturing, terrorising and forcing other parties’ candidates and supporters to monopolise TMC's dominance," he added.
The last date for forming the panchayat boards is August 16, a state government official said.
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