Amid high-pitched political campaigns for next year's battle of ballots in West Bengal, Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain on Thursday held hectic parleys with district officials to review poll preparedness across the state.

Sources close to the chief electoral officer in Bengal said Jain, who arrived in the city on Wednesday night, will be interacting with government officials over the next two days.

He is also likely to coordinate with health officials to find out about the Covid-19 safety measures that need to be put in place during the poll process.

The opposition BJP had earlier claimed that free and fair polls cannot be held under the state administration and sought the deployment of central forces in the run-up to the elections.

The ruling TMC quashed the claim and said the saffron party would keep looking for such excuses as it would need them to justify its electoral reverses later.