BJP Delegation Meets WB Guv, Complains About Law And Order Situation

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar Wednesday met Governor C V Ananda Bose and complained about the worsening law and order situation in the state and urged him to ensure a free and fair rural poll.
                
Majumdar, accompanied by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of BJP and other members of the party met Bose at the Raj Bhawan and told him that opposition workers and leaders are facing violence by the ruling TMC.
                
“We have requested the governor to look into the law and order situation in the state. Law and order have worsened in the state, and opposition leaders and workers are facing the wrath of the ruling TMC. As the rural poll approaches, the ruling party has unleashed terror on BJP activists,” Majumdar told reporters after the meeting.
                
“We have requested the governor to ensure free and fair panchayat poll in the state. The free and fair poll is not possible in West Bengal under the state police,” he said.
                
The Trinamool Congress dubbed the allegations as "baseless".
               
 “The BJP knows it will lose the panchayat poll in the state and so it is coming up with excuses,” TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.  
                
In the 2013 panchayat poll central forces had manned every polling booth in the state and TMC had won more than 80 per cent of the seats.
                
Five years later in 2018, the ruling party won 90 per cent of the panchayat seats and all the 20 Zilla parishads of the state. However, the rural poll was marred by rampant violence and malpractices and the opposition had then alleged that it was not allowed to file nominations in several seats across the state. 
                
Under the three-tier panchayat system in Bengal, there are 825 seats spread across 20 zilla parishads, 9217 in panchayat samitis, and 48649 in gram panchayats. 
                
The coming panchayat poll will be the last major test for all parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.