KOLKATA: Political parties are vying to woo voters by allegedly offering smartphones, LED TVs and refrigerators in lieu of votes.
Gifts and cash have allegedly been fixed for each vote: a smartphone for two votes, refrigerators for five votes and LED TVs for 10 votes.
While all major parties BJP, Trinamool Congress, dominant Congress and CPM have accused each other of distributing the gifts for votes, none have filed police complaints.
However, few local residents from Kaliachak, English Bazaar and Gazole areas of the districts have confirmed that the 'culture' of distributing cash and low-cost gifts have long been predominant in the local elections of the district, never have been the gifts so expensive.
While English Bazaar block TMC president Kalyan Mondal alleged that the distribution of expensive gifts is a Congress strategy, district Congress general secretary and Zilla Parishad candidate Hemanta Sharma said that TMC is using a section of contractors to carry out the campaign of distributing expensive gifts like TVs and refrigerators.
Rubbishing the allegations, district CPM secretary Ambar Mitra dared other parties to file complaints against them with an allegation of attempting to secure votes through gifts.
"Earlier, the 'political gifts' used to be sarees, chicken, rice and pulses and even a small picnic to 'celebrate' the elections, but the distribution of expensive gifts show how great an amount of cash is pumped into Malda district for the elections," English Bazaar resident Shyamal Haldar said.