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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It's a huge surprise, they deserved on-field send-off: Kumble on Kohli, Rohit's Test retirements
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New Delhi (PTI): The "quiet" Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the tour of England came as a "huge surprise" to legendary spinner and former India captain Anil Kumble, who believes the two senior batters deserved an on-field farewell.
Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, bringing the curtains down on an illustrious red-ball career in which he played 123 matches, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.
This was after Rohit decided to step away from the longest format last Thursday.
"It is a huge surprise. Two outstanding, great players retiring on the back of few days. I didn't see it coming. It has certainly caught me off guard. I thought he has a few more years left in him, especially at the Test level," Kumble said on Kohli on 'ESPNCricinfo'.
"He's playing only the ODI format now. No player leaves with any regret and I am sure he would have thought through this and ultimately it is the player's call."
Kumble, who ended as India's leading Test wicket-takers with 619 scalps, said players of such stature should have been given an opportunity to bow out in front of fans.
"It is a very quiet exit. Every player deserves to leave on his terms, but I think on the field. We spoke about this when R Ashwin retired as well, right in the middle of the series he announced his retirement and came back (to India from Australia).
"Right now, Rohit Sharma a few days ago and then Virat Kohli. I think all three of them deserved a proper send off on the field. I strongly believe people who matter need to address that. I know it is a social media age, yes the fans want to be there, there would have been plenty of fans and have a roaring send off.
India are scheduled to tour England for a five-match Test series starting June 20. Kumble said Kohli could have played a crucial role during the challenging assignment.
