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Counting of votes would take place on July 11
KOLKATA: The eagerly awaited panchayat elections in West Bengal will take place on July 8, as announced by the state election body on Thursday. However, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to contest the decision and plans to approach the Calcutta High Court seeking an extension of the nomination deadline.
The BJP expressed its concern over the lack of consultation with other political parties and the absence of an all-party meeting prior to announcing the poll date.
“We demand an extension of the nomination deadline and the deployment of central forces. To address these concerns, we will seek the intervention of the high court,” stated a senior BJP leader in a conversation with The New Indian.
State election commissioner Rajiv Sinha, who recently assumed office, announced that the counting of votes would take place on July 11.
Amidst various scams surrounding the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government, party leaders are working diligently to regain public trust ahead of the panchayat elections. This election serves as a crucial test for chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC before the grand finale in 2024.
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In the previous panchayat election held in 2018, the TMC secured nearly 90 percent of the seats, while the BJP alleged that around 34 percent of the seats were uncontested.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee, an influential figure within the TMC, has declined a summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) scheduled for June 13. The summons was related to his alleged involvement in a teacher recruitment scam, which resulted in the arrest of several TMC party members. Banerjee received the summons while his Jono Sanjog Yatra was underway in Kaliganj, Nadia.
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Expressing his reservations about the timing of the summons coinciding with the announcement of the panchayat elections, Banerjee stated, “The BJP appears unsettled by the success of our campaign. Since the yatra is currently ongoing, I cannot spare even a minute and be absent for 10 hours for the investigation. Considering that the outcome is likely to be inconclusive, similar to the previous instance, I propose that the ED officials reschedule the questioning after July 8, once the panchayat polls conclude.”
Banerjee assured his willingness to provide the necessary documents to the agency, emphasizing the need to focus on the ongoing yatra and his responsibilities as the National General Secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).
