Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she had given a free hand to police to identify those who were responsible for the violence during the rural polls and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh and a job to the next of kin of each one killed in the violence.

The chief minister said 19 people had died in the violence, but the Opposition claimed the figure was not less than 55 or 60.

“Any kind of death is unfortunate. I am saddened by the deaths. I have given a free hand to police (to investigate) and none of the responsible will be spared,” she said during a news conference at Nabanna.

“A total of 19 people have died since the nomination period. They are victims of circumstances. We will give Rs 2 lakh each and a job as a special home guard…. We will not discriminate against the victims on the basis of political affiliations,” said the chief minister, adding that 10-12 victims belonged to the Trinamul Congress.

Mamata said the violence had taken place mainly in two districts while blaming the Opposition parties, including the CPM, the Congress, the BJP and the ISF, for the incidents.

“Some incidents took place in Malda and Murshidabad.... You know who had instigated the incidents. The person who instigated the incidents call himself a national leader,” the chief minister said, alluding to state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

Mamata said although the trouble had broken out in the two districts, there was a campaign by the Opposition parties and a section of the media to malign Bengal.

“Some incidents took place in two districts, but all 23 districts are being maligned by a section of the media and some parties,” said the chief minister.

She said the places hit by the troubles had a history of violence during elections.

“Some incidents took place in Domkal (in Murshidabad). For the past 25 years, the area has been known for violence during elections. Similarly, Bhangar also has a history of violence,” said the chief minister, adding that the trouble in Bhangar could have been stopped had central forces acted properly.

“The Trinamul Congress won in the booths whose votes were being counted in the school (where the trouble broke out). There was a gathering and bombs were stacked there. The central forces were deployed there and they should have dispersed them. I would have been happy if they had arrested even Trinamul workers in case they were guilty,” she said.

The chief minister pointed out that the polling had been held in 71,000 booths and troubles had broken out in only about 60 booths to explain that the violence was not widespread.

She went on saying that she had tried her best to make the elections peaceful.

“We have done whatever the court has directed. We have accepted the deployment of 800 companies of central forces… Our administration has done good work. They were 90 per cent successful (in checking the violence). If there is any flaw, we will plug the loophole soon. I don’t support violence and hatred,” said the chief minister.

Nadia: BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar meets with party candidate Gouranga Biswas at Santipur Hospital after an alleged attack on him by Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters, in Nadia district, Wednesday PTI

Mamata pointed out that 2.31 lakh candidates hadfiled their nominations forthe rural polls this year in order to establish that the ruling party wanted to hold the elections peacefully.

“If we had not cooperated, so many nominations could not have been filed. Whatever has happened, we will ensure that these things don’t happen in future,” said the chief minister.

The Opposition parties alleged that the chief minister had played a partisan role while announcing the compensation.

“We demand that both the central and state governments compensate the families of the victims. At least 60 people have died in the poll-related violence and the figure is never 19. The chief minister proved that she is the chief minister of only those who rigged the polls,” CPM state secretary Md Salim said.

The leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, also alleged that the number of victims was much more than the figure given by Mamata.

“Only those from Trinamul who killed each other will get the compensation,” said Adhikari.