Trinamool calls for arrest of BJP's Cooch Behar candidate

Kolkata: The district Trinamool Congress leaders of Cooch Behar on Tuesday lodged a complaint with the election officials against Nishith Pramanik, who is contesting from Cooch Behar on BJP's ticket.

Senior TMC leaders from the districts alleged that Pramanik has been accused of various criminal charges and urged the commission officials to put him behind the bars as a preemptive measure ahead of the elections.

It may be mentioned that the Cooch Behar parliamentary seat will go to poll in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The TMC leaders apprehend that there may be some law and order situation if Pramanik is not arrested.

A top leader of Trinamool Congress alleged that at least 11 criminal cases have been pending against Pramanik. The election officials in the district are verifying the complaint lodged by TMC in this regard.

It may be mentioned here that the local BJP workers had staged protest demonstrations against the candidature of Pramanik, who had once been attached to Trinamool Congress.

BJP workers took to the streets and vandalised their party office immediately after the candidate list was announced.

Some BJP activists in the district also alleged that the BJP leaders in Delhi had taken bribe to nominate the expelled Trinamool Congress leader, who had been thrown out of his own party on corruption charges and later joined the BJP. They also threatened to field an independent candidate.

On the other hand, expelled Trinamool Congress MP Soumitra Khan, who joined the BJP a few months ago, has been under scanner of the Election Commission as he had been booked under several cases in Bankura.

Khan was summoned by Bankura Sadar police station on Monday, in connection with a case in which he had allegedly made some false promises of giving jobs.

It may also be mentioned here that Khan is now contesting the Lok Sabha election on BJP's ticket from the Bishnupur constituency.

As many as three complaints had been lodged against him by three separate persons in Bankura district.