Left Front takes swipe at EC

Kolkata, Mar 9 (UNI) The ruling Left Front today fired another salvo at the Election Commission, accusing it of showing disrespect and insult to West Bengal by handing out a five-phase poll schedule.

''The EC's decision is against the dignity and insulting to the state. It has little perception about the people of West Bengal,'' Left Front Chairman Biman Bose said.

Talking to reporters after a Front Committee meeting, he said unlike in some other states, elections in West Bengal had always been held on the basis of democracy and not on the basis of ''money and muscle power'' which could have warranted the EC to order polling in five-phases, a measure which was not taken even in Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar.

''It is not money and muscle power, but the conscious verdict of the people that is the determining factor,'' he said.

His comments came a few days after veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu described the EC's decision as ''illogical, unecessary and insulting.'' Referring to various poll-related restrictions, including a ban on wall writing, Mr Bose said the Front would welcome the necessary measures, but there should be no excess.

He, however, said though not happy, the Front had accepted the EC directives and asked the cadres to go for poll campaigning accordingly.

''Because of the restriction on wall writing, the Front has put thrust on house-to-house campaign and workers would put on aprons written with appeals for vote for their candidates,'' Mr Bose said.

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