WB councillers whisked away from temptation

WB councillers whisked away from temptation
SABYASACHI BANDOPADHYAY

CALCUTTA, JULY 6: For the first time in West Bengal, councillors have been herded together in safe houses, lest they are ``influenced'' by the rival party.

At the Central Government Hostel at Nizam Palace on AJC Road in south Calcutta, stern, cell-phone-toting musclemen of the Trinamool brusquely stop visitors and ask them for their credentials and purpose of visit. If the answer is not satisfactory, entry is summarily denied.

Inside, the aroma of biryani wafts across the building while crates of mineral water and cold drinks are taken in. Party councillors as well as Independents huddle together in different rooms and in the corridors, engaged in animated discussions. But they are hardly allowed to go out and move freely.

This is the place where Mamata Banerjee has put most of her 66 councillors -- including four from the BJP and 5 Independents -- and will camp there till the mayoral election on July 8 is over.

While the Trinamool has fielded party MLA Subrata Mukherjee for the post of Mayor, the CPI(M) has fielded Kanti Ganguly, member of the Mayor-in-Council for the top slot. In the 141-ward Calcutta Municipal Corporation, the CPI(M) won 61 wards, while the Trinamool claims to have 67 under its belt. The Congress has 13. The Congress has already declared that its councillors will absent themselves during the election.

On Tuesday, Mamata had alleged that the ruling CPI(M) was indulging in horse-trading and luring Independent and Trinamool councillors with promises of money and cars. But the CPI(M) too has alleged that the Trinamool is trading councillors.

According to a Trinamool MLA, the 66 councillors have been quarantined at three places, the Nizam Palace being one of them, and they would be confined there till the election was over. ``They are trying to lure our councillors with money and other benefits so we have quarantined them,'' the MLA said, adding that the party could not afford to take any risk.

Even the CPI(M) is not denying that it is contacting councillors. ``We have contacted everybody, especially those who had won against the Trinamool-BJP combine,'' CPI(M) MLA Rabin Mandal, against whom the Trinamool had levelled allegations of horse-trading, told The Indian Express, referring to the five Independents who had won against Trinamool-BJP candidates. ``But there is no question of offering any money. Apart from the question of principles, we have no money to offer either,'' Mandal added.

Interestingly, while both the Congress and the Trinamool had demanded that election be held by open ballot -- so that no scope of manipulation or manoeuvering was left -- the CPI(M) opposed it. ``It violates the condition of democracy,'' said Mandal.

``We have brought about 40 councillors here and more are likely to come by this evening,'' Sudip Bandopadhyay, chief whip of Trinamool Parliamentary Party said. But he denied that his party had lost faith in their councillors. ``Our unity is intact. But the CPI(M) can do anything to wrest back power. They can abduct our councillors, so we have quarantined them here. We are concerned about their safety, but there is no restriction on their movement,'' Bandopadhyay said.

According to R K Mandal, a receptionist at the hostel, 15 rooms had been booked, of which nine are by the Trinamool and two by BJP MPs. ``Mamata Banerjee had got special permission from CPWD officials in Delhi,'' Mandal said. The room tariff varies from Rs 40 to Rs 50. ``We are being fed well, but we are not supposed to go out,'' one of the quarantined councillors said, adding: ``But we don't mind as we have got everything here.''

Meanwhile, both the Congress and the CPI(M) denounced this confinement of councillors. ``They have no faith in their councillors,'' Abdul Mannan, chief whip of Congress Legislature Party said. ``They have started a dangerous trend in this state. It's unfortunate,'' he added. Mandal echoed Mannan's statement saying: ``They are turning this state into Bihar or UP. It's a dangerous trend, and Mamata will have to pay a heavy price for this.''