"Some Retaliation From Our End Too": Mamata Banerjee On Pre-Poll Violence

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the opposition parties of trying to malign the state by orchestrating violence while filing nominations for the July 8 panchayat polls.

People would give the opposition parties a befitting reply if they think they can unleash "one-sided violence", said Ms Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief.

She denied any involvement of her party workers in the incidents of violence that have taken place, stating that the Trinamool has instructed its members to allow all candidates to file their nominations.

Talking to reporters outside a party office at Diamond Harbour, she asserted that the party had denied tickets to non-performers.

"In around 74,000 booths, some incidents have taken place in only two or three. In those incidents, our party workers are not involved," Ms Banerjee said.

Pointing out that violence during panchayat polls is not new, citing a similar situation in 2003 when 36 people were killed during the Left regime, she said, "Rural polls are so localised that even three or four members from a same family are contesting elections."

"Opposition parties are trying to create disturbances by orchestrating violence while filing nominations. They are doing it to tarnish the state's image. If they (opposition) think they will unleash one-sided violence, then people will give a befitting reply," she said.

One person was killed, and two others were injured after being shot in West Bengal's Uttar Dinajpur district on Thursday when they were on their way to file nominations for the panchayat polls.

"Our party has nothing to do with what has happened in Islampur and Chopra (Uttar Dinajpur). Our party in no way is involved in it. I have asked the police to take stern action," she said, hinting that the incident in Chopra may be a fallout of a "family dispute".

Speaking on the ongoing violence in Bhangore in South 24 Parganas, around 30 km from Kolkata, Ms Banerjee blamed the Indian Secular Front (ISF) for it without naming the party.

"For the last two days, a political party which uses religion to polarise people has unleashed a reign of terror in Bhangore, assaulting our party workers and ransacking several vehicles. There has been some retaliation from our end too yesterday," she said.

On selecting candidates for the panchayat polls, the Trinamool boss said the party has stressed "credibility" and "past performance" as the main criteria.

"We don't claim that we have been able to achieve 100 per cent. Non-performers and those whose public image is not satisfactory have been denied tickets," she said.

Ms Banerjee also slammed the BJP-led central government for stopping the due funds for the state and using central agencies to threaten the Trinamool.

Polling for nearly 75,000 seats in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system will be held on July 8.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)