WB Panchayat polls: Central forces carry route march in Bengal's East Medinipur

Purba Medinipur (West Bengal) [India], June 3 : Central security forces carried out a route march in West Bengal's East Medinipur district on Sunday days ahead of the July 8 panchayat polls in the state.

West Bengal has seen several incidents of violence around the filing of nominations for the panchayat polls as well as after, including one where crude bombs were allegedly hurled at a Block Development Office (BDO) at Ahmadpur in Birbhum district.

Earlier, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court's order on the deployment of central forces in West Bengal for the panchayat elections, dismissing a plea by the state government challenging the high court order.

Reacting to the top court's stand on the issue, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said that forcing the state to deploy central forces is a "conspiracy of the Opposition".

"Central force is not at all our headache. We are ready to face them. Only in West Bengal, there can't be a central force. This is the conspiracy of the Opposition. Out of 61,000 booths, there is trouble only in 4-5 booths created by the Opposition. But the people of West Bengal will vote in favour of TMC," Kunal Ghosh said while talking to ANI.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the Calcutta High Court ruling regarding the deployment of central paramilitary forces in the state within the next 48 hours.

Speaking to ANI, Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari had said, "The decision will end political violence in Bengal and restore democracy. The village panchayat will conduct these elections in a democratic and peaceful manner. It is a good judgement".

The panchayat elections will be held in a single phase, with the counting of votes scheduled on July 11. The polls are likely to see a fierce tussle for control of local administrations between the ruling TMC and the BJP and will be a litmus test for both parties ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

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