RAIGANJ, April 15: In North Dinajpur district, the Left Front could not reach a unanimous decision regarding the panchayat election. West Bengal Socialist party, a partner of the Left Front in the state assembly is now making preparations to contest the election on their own.
In the gram panchayat level the CPI-M could not reach unity with both the RSP and AIFB in some places where both the AIFB and RSP will contest seats alone.
In Goalpokhar-2 block the CPI-M failed to form a coalition with the AIFB and in Mougha and Jaingaon gram panchayats in Islampur block CPI-M could not reach a collaboration with the RSP.
The secretary of West Bengal Socialist party of North Dinajpur Mr Arun Dey said, “In the last five years we extensively developed pisciculture in Hemtabad, Raiganj and Kaliyaganj blocks of the district where numerous residents including women were brought under income generating schemes. We usually demanded 63 and 12 seats in gram panchayat and panchayat samities respectively in Raiganj block and another 35 and seven seats in gram panchayat and panchayat samities of Hemtabad in the district. In the other seven blocks we were ready to adjust with the Left Front without any conditions. But our demands were ruled out by CPI-M leaders.”
“We have decided to fight the panchayat elections alone this year. According to our strength we will send candidates in all gram panchayats and panchayat samities in Raiganj, Hemtabad and Kaliyaganj. Though we do not have the capacity to win in every place, it will be harmful to the Left Front unity. But we have to do it for our existence,” added Mr Dey.
The secretary of North Dinajpur AIFB committee Mr Gokul Roy said, “In Goalpokhar-2 block our strength was not considered by CPI-M. So we decided to fight alone in gram panchayat level.”
On the other hand the district secretary of North Dinajpur CPI-M Mr Bireshwar Lahiri said, “In the last district Left Front committee meeting the district secretary of WB Socialist party did not turn up. So adjustment was not possible with them. In Goalpokhar-2 block AIFB’s demand was far from their strength. RSP also demanded the same in Maugha and Jaigaon gram panchayats in Islampur block. So an absolute Left Front was not made this year.”

Source: www.thestatesman.net

RAIGANJ,April 10: As soon as the dates of panchayat poll were announced the North Dinajpur District Magistrate sought more police forces from the state government to conduct the polls peacefully in the district. It was reported that North Dinajpur police have been facing acute shortage of officers for the past few months. The post of additional superintendent of police and two DSPs are still vacant for the past four months. Apart from these, there is a shortage of 70 SI and ASI level officers in all nine police stations. North Dinajpur district is treated as a sensitive district as it shares a 221 km India -Bangladesh international border and considerable areas of Itahar, Raiganj, Karandi-ghi, Goalpokhar,Chakulia and Islampur police stations share Bengal -Bihar state border. Before panchayat polls criminals may get entry to the district from Bihar. In such a crisis law & order problem can arise before panchayat polls. If any major incident happens police will have to meet great hardships to tackle it. The North Dinajpur SP Mr SB Purnapatra said,”We are facing an acute crisis of officers in all police stations for the last few months.Yet majority of police officers are devoted to their service. So the incident of major law & order violation has not happened yet.”
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