“Except for selecting candidates for the zila parishads, the party leadership at the block and anchal level is free to choose their candidates. The only thing they have to see is that they should not have alliances with any reactionary or fundamental forces,” WBPCC chief Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told mediapersons after attending a meeting of party district presidents and other functionaries ahead of the panchayat elections.

However, replying to a question on whether he was ruling out any alliance with the Trinamool Congress, the WBPCC president said: “I do not rule out anything because our ultimate aim is to defeat CPM.”

The WBPCC also demanded for holding single-phase panchayat instead of the three- phase polls as announced by the state election commission.

“Holding the elections in three phases will help the CPM to move their goons after polls in one phase is over. If the state government cannot hold elections in one day, they should seek the help of the Centre for security forces,” Dasmunsi added.

The party will also observe April 21 as the Minimum Wages Increase Demand Day and will take out padyatras all over the state for fixing the minimum wages of Rs 80 at least.