Kolkata, April 26: With opinion polls indicating the BJP has left his party far behind in emerging as the principal opponent to West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress in the upcoming Panchayat polls, CPI-M stalwart and former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Thursday urged Marxist workers not to stay away from the elections but unite all Left forces to defeat both these parties.

Accusing the ruling Trinamool of vitiating the Panchayat system fashioned by the erstwhile Left Front regime, Bhattacharjee said its activists have robbed the people of their rights and indulged in corruption.

"We want to change the prevailing situation. We have to re-establish the supremacy of the people in the panchayat system. Towards that end, I appeal to all workers of my party and other Left parties to unite.

"We have to reach out to the masses, and this we have to do not by staying away from the elections. We have to move forward taking along the masses by resisting the attacks," Bhattacharjee, who has been ailing for a long time and confined to home for the last six months, said in a statement.

Describing the Panchayat polls as a fight for life and livelihood, he said while the ruling party needs to be defeated, "the state has to be saved from the ignominy of witnessing BJP's victory".

He appealed to the CPI-M workers to put the party on a strong footing in every polling booth and constituency.

"We have reached the climax of the electoral struggle. Make it successful. I have faith in the Left ideology and strength of the people," he said.

Bhattacharjee's statement comes at a time when pre-poll surveys have claimed that the BJP has emerged as the main opponent of the Trinamool. Amid allegations of widespread violence during the nomination filing process, the BJP has been able to put up candidates in far more seats than the Left Front.

Bhattacharjee, however, said the statement represented his concern over the attacks on his party workers, candidates and their families for the past few days in an effort to force them to stay away from the polls.

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Bengaluru: A 21-year-old ward helper at the Jayadeva Hospital in Bengaluru has been arrested for allegedly recording videos of female staff member inside a women’s washroom. The suspect, identified as Yallalinga, a native of Kalaburagi, was employed as a contractual helper at the hospital in Tilaknagar.

The incident came to light on October 31 morning, when a female hospital employee found a mobile phone placed on the windowsill in the basement washroom. After unlocking the phone, she was horrified to find video recordings of herself, as reported by Deccan Herald on Tuesday.

When she came out, the suspect approached her and claimed that the mobile was his and asked for it back. She refused and began calling for help. The hospital staff caught Yallalinga, who was later handed over to the police.

The Tilaknagar police registered a case under Section 77 (voyeurism) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act. During questioning, Yallalinga claimed he had mistakenly left his phone in the washroom, citing an emergency.

However, investigators noted inconsistencies, indicating the recordings told a different story. “We have continued the probe. Prima facie, it appears that it is his first offence of such nature,” police officer was quoted as saying by the publication.

Meanwhile, Yallalinga was granted bail by a local court.

The hospital has suspended him pending an investigation by the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Committee.