Bengal panchayat polls: one dead, MLA injured in violence during nominations

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS:) Widespread violence and clashes between rival political groups claimed one life while a Congress legislator was among a large number of people injured on the extended date of filing nominations for the West Bengal Panchayat polls on Monday.
Acting on a Calcutta High Court order, the State Election Commission extended the last day of filing nomination for the state rural election to Monday between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
One person was allegedly shot dead in Birbhum’s Suri during a clash between activists of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, while Congress lawmaker Manoj Chakraborty was beaten up with bamboo poles outside the Block Development Officer’s office in Baharampur of Murshidabad district.
While the state BJP leadership claimed that deceased was a member of their party’s district minority cell and was killed by assailants owing loyalty to Trinamool, the ruling party’s district president Anubrata Mondal said the deceased and his family members were Trinamool workers.
In the morning, Congress leader and former Union Minister Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury’s car was allegedly attacked with bricks and crude bombs outside the party’s office in Murshiadabad district’s Shamshergunj.
Meanwhile, clashes were witnessed elsewhere in the districts of Bankura, Hoogly, East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas over the filing of nominations.
State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury wrote to the SEC informing him about the hostile situation along with a list of complaints and photographs of violence and urged the panel to ensure appropriate steps.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra claimed the attacks showed there was no law and order in Bengal.

Justice Subrata Talukdar on Friday quashed the SEC’s April 10 order that had cancelled the extension of date for filing of nominations, which the poll panel announced on April 9 night, directing it to issue a fresh extended deadline for filing of nominations in consultation with the state government and other stakeholders.