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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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
