CPM questions Election Commission, Home Minister moves

Kolkata: The Election Commission team is yet to land in Kolkata but the CPM is already on the offensive. The team, led by Bihar's Chief Election Officer, is to report on the ground situation in the state which has seen a spurt in political violence. No such team has been sent to the other poll-bound states.  

"The Election Commission of India has taken an unprecedented step. We do not think this will contribute to the capacity of the state administration to organize a free and fair election and maintain law and order," said Prakash Karat, CPM, General Secretary.

Also on the agenda of the two-day CPM Politburo meeting that ended in Kolkata on Sunday was the recent exchange of letters between Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and P Chidambaram on violence in Maoist hit parts of the state.    

"The main source of violence in the state, the root cause for that is the collaboration between the Trinamool and the Maoists... it is surprising that the union Home Minister seeks to divert from this main cause of violence and make allegations against the CPI-M," said Prakash Karat, CPM, General Secretary.

The party's stand comes at a time when Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is to meet the Union Home Minister in Delhi on Wednesday and faces mounting pressure after 9 people were killed at Netai village in Lalgarh on 7th January.