Minister dismisses Opposition charge

Kolkata, May 2 (UNI) West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Surya Kanta Mishra today rubbished the Opposition allegation that the CPI(M) was preventing their candidates from filing nomination papers for the coming Panchayat election.

In a Meet-The-Press programme here, Dr Mishra termed Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's charging the CPI(M) with resorting to power tactics as tatoally baseless and uncalled for.

Several party candidates won uncontested in the last Panchayat election, he said adding it was the failure of the Opposition to field candidates.

He claimed that West Bengal was the only state, where Panchayat election was held on schedule.

He alleged that the Opposition had allied with the Maoists, Kamtapuri and Greater Cooch Behar groups to destablise the state, and their main target was the CPI(M).

He also said the party was still trying to forge unity among the Left Front partners to contest the election unitedly.

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