"Spending thousands on central forces while...": TMC's Madan Mitra on HC verdict for panchayat polls

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 16 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Madan Mitra that while West Bengal is not getting a single penny for its development, thousands of crores will now be spent on central armed forces in the panchayat polls.

The TMC leader was reacting to a Calcutta High Court order that mandated the State Election Commission to request the Centre for central armed forces for the Panchayat elections scheduled for July 8.

"I do not know how many thousands of crores will be spent on these central forces where West Bengal is not getting a single penny for the development of the state," Mitra said on Thursday adding that everyone needs to accept this because it is a court verdict.

Expressing confidence in the TMC winning the July 8 Panchayat polls, Mitra said, "People of Bengal are with Mamata Banerjee. It is a court verdict, everybody has to accept it but do not forget that the votes will be given by the voters."

"We will give our blood, we are ready to give 'qurbaani' but we will fight back. We will face the central forces but we will prove that TMC will win and if we have to give our lives, we are ready to face the torture of central forces," he added.

A Chief Justice division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered for Central Paramilitary forces in all the districts of the state for the Panchayat elections after violence gripped several places in West Bengal during the nomination process for the upcoming polls.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has, however, welcomed the Calcutta High Court ruling. Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari said, " The decision will end political violence in Bengal and restore democracy. The village panchayat will conduct these elections in a democratic and peaceful manner. It is a good judgement".

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose yesterday said that "effective and corrective" action will be taken against those responsible for the violence in the State.

"No words, only action. Wait and watch. You will see effective action, concrete action. That is all I can say now," he said.