Nomination process starts in Jalpaiguri

SNS, SILIGURI, 5 JUNE: The nomination-filing process for the rural polls has started in Jalpaiguri district today with the mainstream Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad members having got into the fray in the ethnically sensitive Dooars.  They have, however, filed papers for the lowest rung of the three-tier rural body structure ~ Gram Panchayat. The outfit has worked out a sort of seat adjustment with the Trinamul Congress.

According to the ABAVP leaders, Adivasi people belonging to the mainstream faction have filed nomination papers in Malbazar and Kalchini areas today. Financially and organisationally weak as the outfit is, it has decided not to contest at the Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad levels.

Since the ABAVP is an NGO, its leadership has decided to keep its presence confined to the lowest level of the contest.

A senior Dooars-based ABAVP leader, Mr Rajesh Lakra, said: “We have signed no agreement with any political party officially. We have a working adjustment with the ruling party at the local levels. Talks are still on.”

Explaining why his outfit is staying away from the PS and ZP levels, he said it is not in a position to move into the rural fray in a big way because of its financial and organisational constraints. “ABAVP would contest at the ZP level only if the bigger parties we are allied with support us with wherewithal,” he said.

In order to maintain peace during the process of filing nomination papers for rural polls, the police administration arranged required forces in four districts ~ Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri,North and South Dinajpur. Today, was the first day of filing nominations.