Left campaign attack slur on TMC

Dilip Singh in Siliguri on Sunday; (right) Gautam Deb. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

TT, Siliguri, April 10: Dilip Singh, the CPM candidate pitted against minister Gautam Deb in Dabgram-Fulbari seat, today alleged that Trinamul cadres had attacked him and his supporters during the campaign yesterday.

"Yesterday evening, I had gone to Jugibhita under Fulbari-II panchayat (in Jalpaiguri district and on the outskirts of Siliguri) with some Left Front workers for election campaign. A group of Trinamul supporters attacked us. They tried to obstruct my campaign and jostled with our workers without any provocation," Singh said.

Dabgram-Fulbari comprises 14 wards of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, which are under Jalpaiguri district, and four panchayats of Rajganj block in Jalpaiguri district.

"There were previous instances of Trinamul workers disrupting our campaign after being instigated by local leaders. They had also tried to stop our election campaign in localities like Samarnagar and Sevoke Road. After yesterday's incident, we have filed a complaint against five Trinamul workers at Bhaktinagar police station and sought action against them. A complaint has also been filed with the Election Commission," said Singh.

Back in 2011, Singh had lost to Gautam Deb of Trinamul by 11,236 votes. In the 2014 Parliament polls, Trinamul had managed to secure a lead of over 18,000 votes in Dabgram-Fulbari.

In the elections to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation last year, Trinamul managed to win seven of the 14 wards. The remaining seats went to the Left. There was a close contest between the Left Front and Trinamul in the four panchayats in the constituency in 2013 rural polls.

Jibesh Sarkar, the Darjeeling district Left Front convener, said: "If we consider the votes in our favour in the 2013 panchayat polls and the 2015 SMC elections, we are ahead of Trinamul by 4,500-odd votes. So, Trinamul leaders are feeling insecure and trying to stop our candidate and workers from campaigning."

"Besides, Trinamul will not get the votes of the Congress, BJP and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha this time. Altogether, Trinamul is in a stiff position and that is why they are attacking us," Sarkar added.

Trinamul leaders have denied the charge.

"The Left candidate is sure to lose. That is why the Left is resorting to gimmicks and levelling baseless allegations at us. Such tactics won't work because the development works undertaken in Dabgram-Fulbari area by our government in the past five years are unparalleled," said Nantu Paul, the vice-president of Darjeeling district Trinamul.