Bhatpara Assembly polls to decide Trinamool's status

Kolkata, May 15 (UNI) Polling in Bhatpara constituency in North 24 Parganas district will be held tomorrow ending the assembly elections in West Bengal.

Election to the seat was countermanded following the death of a candidate even though all the 293 out of a total 294 Assembly constituencies in the state went to polls between April 17 and May eight.

The polling, which is of academic interest, assumes significance as its result would determine whether the Trinamool Congress would manage to enjoy the status of the main opposition party in the 14th state assembly.

The party faces the threat of being denied recognition of the main opposition after securing only 29 seats--one short of the required number--in the Assembly elections held for 293 out of a total 294 seats.

According to the rule, a party having at least 30 seats is recognised as the main opposition party and its CLP leader can be accorded the status of a cabinet minister.

The Trinamool Congress had won the Bhatpara seat in the 2001 Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, District Election Officer and District Magistrate Manoj Pant said MPs and MLAs enjoying police security will not be permitted to move in the Bhatpara constituency area.

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