Bengal: Opposition candidates receive 'threat parcels'; panchayat polls' future uncertain

Some opposition candidates for panchayat elections in West Bengal have received an unusual parcel – a piece of white drape and white garland.

The seemingly benign parcel intended to send across a blood-curdling message sums up the state’s prevailing mercurial political atmosphere that has, apart from taking seven lives so far, triggered a constitutional crisis.

Governor returns joining letter of new poll panel chief

Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday (June 21) night reportedly turned down the joining report of the State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha, who was pulled up by the Calcutta high court earlier in the day.

The unprecedented move came after Sinha’s refusal to meet the governor despite being summoned on Saturday last to discuss poll-related violence.

Also read: Calcutta HC to SEC: Deploy over 82,000 Central forces for panchayat polls

Sinha, however, told reporters on Thursday that he did not receive any communique about the governor refusing his joining report.

Notwithstanding Sinha’s nonchalant reply, the unprecedented development has created a flutter in the state administration over the fate of the July 8 rural polls.

“Since the governor is the appointing authority of the SEC, his refusal to accept the joining report has definitely created some uncertainty about the elections due in about a fortnight,” said a senior bureaucrat privy to the development.

He said the state government is consulting constitutional experts to understand its implication.

The poll-process is in the mid-way with the commission notifying the list of final candidates in the fray after withdrawal of nominations.

A change of poll panel chief at this juncture will make it difficult to conduct polls on the scheduled date of July 8, the bureaucrat added.

Sinha should step down: Experts

The governor earlier this month picked the former state chief secretary as the SEC from three names – other two being serving IAS officers A R Bardhan and M V Rao – recommended by the state government. Sinha was the first choice of the state government.

Another senior state official said a SEC could be removed only through impeachment and hence the governor’s refusal would not necessarily lead to change of poll-panel chief.

Not many share the optimism.

“Here the question is not about the removal of the SEC and hence the question of impeachment process does not arise. Here it is about the validation of the appointment of the SEC by the appointing authority,” constitutional expert Arindam Das told The Federal.

Also read: Bengal governor visits violence-hit Bhangore; says political clashes not to be tolerated

“Acceptance of the joining report by the appointing authority is mandatory to validate an appointment process. The Governor, who is the appointing authority here, has put a question mark on the appointment process by not accepting the joining report,” advocate Das added.

He said Sinha should now step down or else his continuation in the coveted post could be challenged in the court.

A division bench of the high court on Wednesday had told Sinha to “step down” if he was finding it difficult to carry out the court’s order on deployment of Central forces in the state for panchayat elections.

The bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Uday Kumar was hearing a contempt petition filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari accusing the election commission of not adhering to the court’s June 15 order on deployment of central forces in the state within 48 hours.

The SEC had moved the Supreme Court against the order. After the apex court upheld the high court order, the commission requisitioned 22 companies of central forces for 22 districts.

Not satisfied with the deployment, the apex court directed the commission to deploy at least 825 companies, which is equivalent to the deployment made during the 2013 panchayat elections.

The court’s directive for such a huge deployment came amidst opposition parties alleging that the atmosphere in the state is not conducive for free and fair elections.

Also read: Bengal governor visits violence-hit Bhangore; says political clashes not to be tolerated

White saree, garland: Symbolic death threats

Apart from attacks and physical assaults, the ruling Trinamool Congress also stands accused of intimidating candidates, leaders and workers of the opposition parties.

Besides direct threat, the ruling party members are allegedly also finding ingenious methods of sending veiled warnings.

There are reports from South 24 Parganas, Hooghly and East Midnapore of candidates receiving ominous parcels ostensibly from the TMC.

“Early in the morning we discovered that someone had left a white saree, a garland of tuberose flowers and sweets in our courtyard. The parcel also contained a chit wherein it was written that my husband would be harmed if I do not refrain from contesting,” BJP panchayat candidate from Kanthi’s Block 1 Nilima Dutta told The Federal.

“The intention is to create an atmosphere of fear,” she said, alleging that it was the handiwork of the TMC “goons.”

The TMC, however, refused the charges saying the party never resorts to such things.

“I can vouch that no one associated with the TMC has done this,” said party’s block president Ganesh Mahakur.

TMC general secretary and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the veiled threat was manifestation of the factional feud in the BJP.

Also read: West Bengal: Amid graft cases, TMC faces panchayat acid test before LS polls

A CPI(M) candidate from Dhaniakhali in Hooghly and a Left-backed independent candidate from Jaynagar in South 24 Parganas are among those who received the parcel of white saree and garland.

For the uninitiated, a Hindu widow traditionally wears a white drape.

Old timers say it was the CPI(M) which had invented such a chilling method of intimidating opponents.

“The TMC is continuing the ignominious tradition,” BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said.