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regular-article-logo Wednesday, 22 May 2024

Panchayat elections: No voting in Chopra and Canning-I blocks as Trinamul Congress wins minus rivals

TMC leaders in both these blocks claim Opposition parties lack organisational support and couldn’t field candidates

Kousik Sen, Subhasish Chaudhuri Raiganj, Canning Published 07.07.23, 06:24 AM
Representational image.

Representational image. File photo

Chopra block in North Dinajpur and Canning-I block in South 24-Parganas were uncharacteristically quiet on Thursday, the last day of campaigning for the rural polls.

In both blocks, polls won't be held at even a single booth as Trinamul candidates won uncontested all seats in all three tiers.

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In Chopra, Trinamul won 217 seats in eight panchayats, 30 seats of the panchayat samiti and three seats of the zilla parishad.

In Canning-I block, Trinamul won 241 seats in 10 panchayats, 30 seats of the panchayat samiti and three seats of the zilla parishad.

On Thursday, BDO offices in Chopra and Canning-I wore a deserted look, unlike other BDO offices across Bengal buzzing with officials and various poll-related activities.

In Chopra, empty ballot boxes were put on a vehicle on Thursday and sent to the district election department in Raiganj.

“Candidates of only one political party (Trinamul) filed nominations. Hence polls won't be held and ballot boxes have been sent back,” said Samir Mondal, the Chopra BDO.

Trinamul leaders in both these blocks claimed Opposition parties lacked organisational support and couldn’t field candidates. "To hide their failure, they are making baseless charges,” said Pareshram Das, the Trinamul MLA of Canning.

However, Canning BJP leader Utpal Naskar claimed: "My party tried to file nominations at least thrice but our candidates were beaten up. Police and administration helped Trinamul shamelessly."

In Chopra, Congress leader Ashok Roy said the Opposition stayed out of the fray owing to "Trinamul's reign of terror".

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