CAPF starts early route marches in Sandeshkhali

Kolkata, May 16 The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have started early route marches at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal in view of the fresh tensions erupting there.

A viral video of a local BJP leader claiming the women's agitation being plotted and orchestrated by the party has gone viral in the area.

Sandeshkhali comes under the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency which is going for polls in the last and seventh phase on June 1.

Sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that generally full-fledged route marches in an area do not start so early before the polling day.

However, the sources said, keeping in mind the prevailing tension the full-fledged route marches of CAPF have started from Thursday especially in those panchayat areas under Sandeshkhali Assembly constituency where the prevailing tension is maximum.

“This early route-march will ensure complete area domination before the polls which will instill confidence among the voters,” a CEO office insider said. The local villagers too have welcomed the development.

The CEO office sources said that as per the existing plans in the sixth and seventh phases of polls in the state on May 25 and June 1 respectively, the total deployment of Central forces in the state is likely to be over 1,000 companies which is higher the initial plans of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to increase the phase-wise deployment to a maximum of 920 in the seventh and final phase on June 1.

While in the sixth phase, eight Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal will be going to polls, the number in the seventh phase will be nine. In the fifth phase on May 20, the total deployment of CAPF will be 762 companies, which is 32 per cent higher than the figure of 578 companies in the fourth phase on May 13.

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