'A section of my party leaders may loot votes': Trinamool MLA sparks row

KOLKATA: Maverick Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra on Friday courted controversy by claiming that he is afraid a section of his own party leaders may bring miscreants from outside to loot votes in a municipal area under his constituency during the February 27 civic polls.

Mitra said that he has informed the police about the alleged conspiracy to rig the polls in Kamarhati Municipality.

"If the police do not take any action, TMC activists of the area will resist any bid to loot votes in the name of the party," Mitra told reporters.

While a red-faced Trinamool Congress said the party does not have any such information, the opposition BJP lapped up the opportunity to attack the ruling party and claimed it is now proved that the TMC indulges in rigging elections, Mitra, the MLA of Kamarhati in North 24 Parganas district, said he heard that armed miscreants from various places in another district are being readied to reach his constituency.

"I am getting phone calls from people of Canning, Bhojerhat, Bhangar and others. They are curious to know if there is a possibility of violence in Kamarhati," he said.

The areas named by Mitra are known for political clashes.

Some people are spending "crores of rupees" to send goons to Kamarhati which is close to Kolkata, he claimed.

"However, no outsider will be allowed. If my boys get hold of such troublemakers in my area, we will confine them, offer them food but not allow them to leave. They will face the music," the MLA said.

He also named two TMC leaders who allegedly have assembled armed men at a guest house to use them on the polling day.

Mitra had earlier voiced reservations against selection of certain party candidates for Kamarhati Municipality election.

Some of those nominees were changed later.

BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, "Mitra's comments blew the lid off the TMC's practice of widespread rigging and vote loot in every election."

He demanded deployment of central forces, and not state police, during the elections to 108 municipalities including Kamarhati on February 27.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told PTI the party does not have any information as told by Mitra.

"We don't know why he is making such comments. If he had any such information, he could have raised the matter inside the party," Ghosh said.

He said the party would discuss it with Mitra.