Popular Mandate Not Reflected

Secretary of the State Committee of West Bengal CPI(M) Biman Basu has criticized the way the election procedure was undertaken. He said that since the municipal elections were far from democratic, the results fail to reflect the popular mandate. He cited many places where the common people cast their votes overcoming all kinds of threats and anarchies promoted by the Trinmool Congress. The Left Front has won in one municipality and multiple wards of other municipalities.

The Left Front had demanded re-elections in Burdwan and Chakdah where party members and supporters were barred from doing pre-election propaganda and the ruling party had done everything to stop people from casting their mandate. In Panihati, the Left Front had demanded re-polling in over 200 booths, but the State Election Commission was not inclined to ensure safe passage for the people to cast their votes.