CPM stalwart and the principal face of the Left Front in Siliguri, Asok Bhattacharya, on Wednesday countered the accusations of the Trinamul camp, especially of state transport minister Firhad Hakim, ahead of the civic polls.

On February 12, elections to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) would be held where the Left, headed by Bhattacharya, had been in power till 2020.

BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari (in purple jacket, hands folded) meets people in ward 12 of Siliguri on Friday. Telegraph photo

Hakim, who was earlier in charge of the municipal affairs and urban development department, had accused Bhattacharya of not taking necessary steps to implement infrastructure projects in Siliguri. “We had approved projects but Asok Bhattacharya did not take steps like preparation of DPRs (detailed project reports) which is why the projects were not implemented,” Hakim had said.

On Wednesday, the CPM veteran, who is also a former state minister, took up the task to nullify Hakim’s claims by alleging that the SMC did not receive state funds for an array of schemes.

“A number of projects related to drinking water supply, sewerage, solid waste management and roads of the Siliguri civic area, worth around Rs 1,000 crore, are lying with the state government. Funds for these projects have not been sanctioned despite repeated reminders from our end. What the Trinamul leaders and state ministers have claimed during the poll campaign is far from the truth,” Bhattacharya said.

Trinamul’s Gautam Deb (in white) campaigns in ward 29 of Siliguri on Wednesday. Telegraph photo

He said that after he assumed the mayor’s office in 2015, the SMC was supposed to receive Rs 26 crore under the state finance commission in the first fiscal (2015-16), but the civic body received it “almost after three years”.

“Also, another sum of Rs 22 crore, which was approved after eight years, is still lying with the state government,” Bhattacharya alleged.

Bhattacharya also took a dig at Aroop Biswas, the state minister of PWD, sports and youth affairs, who is also campaigning extensively for Trinamul candidates here and questioning the efficiency of the previous Left-run board.

"The Trinamul state government, during its tenure, has not carried out any infrastructure development to encourage sports in Siliguri. They took over the Kanchenjunga Stadium but did not initiate its repairs. It is because of their neglect that the centre of the Sports Authority of India has shifted from here to Jalpaiguri,” said Bhattacharya.