Will counter Trinamool's pre-poll violence with equal measure: Bengal BJP chief

Kolkata : In wake of sporadic violence in Bengal over filing of nominations for the upcoming Panchayat polls, state BJP President Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday accused the state's ruling Trinamool Congress of attacking their party activists and warned it could expect an equal response.

"They have stopped others candidates from submitting the nomination forms in some places. I can guarantee that even if Congress and CPI-M steps back, BJP will give candidates and fight in the elections in those areas. If needed we will take our people to counter them and file the nominations," Ghosh said.

"The counter attack has already started (by the BJP) at some places. That will continue. We have our 'Pratiraksha Committee' is in place, they would be used on the polling day if some outsiders come to cast votes," he warned.

Claiming that pre-poll violence has become a tradition in Bengal politics, the BJP leader said the people of the state might have bear heavy casualty this time as well.

"We know that they (Trinamool) will pressurise opposition candidates to withdraw their nomination, they will even resort to violence and vandalism. This is a known political scenario in West Bengal," Ghosh claimed.

"In every Panchayat elections here nearly 70 to 100 people die. I think this election will not be any exception. We will certainly ready to pay them back in their own coin," he said.

Taking a swipe at Ghosh, Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said such comments show that BJP has lost faith in democracy and claimed the opposition parties are talking about violence as they do not have any pro-people agenda.

"The way the state president of a political party is talking about resorting to violence, it seems they have lost faith in democracy. Sometimes they are playing communal cards or resorting to hooliganism.

"The opposition parties do not have any such pro-people agenda to influence the people of Bengal against Trinamool Congress or the current state government," he said.

The three phased rural elections in Bengal would be held in the first week of May.