Morcha strikes, vigil heightened

Darjeeling/Siliguri, July 8: Police in the hills today brought in reinforcements after alleged attacks by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters on CPM leaders and an Independent candidate’s representative.
Yesterday, Morcha cadres allegedly targeted a representative of I.N. Pradhan, a former GNLF councillor from Tindharia, and Sashi Gurung, who was also planning to file her nominations as an Independent candidate from the Mahanadi-Tindhari constituency in the GTA polls.
Pradhan said: “I had sent my representative, D. Gurung, to collect the nominations papers but he was assaulted by Morcha cadres. The Morcha is trying to bulldoze its way through the election but I will try my best to file the nominations papers on Monday (last date of filing nominations).”
Pradhan wants to contest as an Independent, not backed by any political party.
Former CPM Rajya Sabha member Suraj Pathak and three of other party leaders in Kurseong were also attacked yesterday.
CPM acting secretary in Darjeeling Jibesh Sarkar said today: “We are concerned about the organised attacks on our leaders in the hills yesterday. It seems that the law and order situation is not conducive for the polls.”
He added: “Our party is keeping a close watch over the situation and will take final decision tomorrow on whether we will contest.”
Party sources said the CPM has filed 15 nominations in different constituencies and is yet to file the nominations in eight seats.
The Morcha, which is largely expected to win most of the seats in the July 29 elections, will face a contest, however weak, from the CPM and the Trinamul Congress. In the civic elections held in December, the Morcha had won all the seats uncontested in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan today held a joint co-ordination meeting between the administration and the police to take stock of election-related issues.
Kunal Aggarwal, the district police chief, said: “We have already brought in 40 police officers, 30 constables and 22 additional vehicles from outside the district to intensify patrolling. All the routes to be used by Independents have been marked out as zones for intensive patrolling. Rapid Action Force personnel will be posted at the returning officer’s office premises tomorrow.”
Kurseong police have also arrested six persons involved in the attacks yesterday.
Administrative sources said they expect at least 10 companies of central paramilitary forces to be deployed for the elections.
In the Trinamul camp, Gautam Deb, the minister for north Bengal development, sounded optimistic today about the law and order situation. He dubbed the attacks in Kurseong “stray incidents”.
Asked why his own party leader, Rajen Mukhia, had to be escorted by the police when he went to file his nominations, Deb said: “There are clear instructions from the state government to maintain peace and amity across the hills. Any person willing to contest the polls has the right to file nominations. Whatever had happened yesterday were stray incidents, and in all cases, the police and administration have taken appropriate action.”
Trinamul has not yet officially announced the number of seats it would contest. The Morcha has denied the allegations of attacks, calling it “political drama” by the CPM.