‘Opposition’s victory harbours well for democracy’

Express News Service Posted: May 25, 2008 at 0047 hrs
Kolkata, May 24 Senior Congress leader and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has dubbed the performance of the Opposition parties in the state during the recent panchayat elections as “necessary for democracy.”

He, however, refused to comment on the reasons that led to ruling CPM’s debacle in the polls. “Why people vote for a certain political party depends entirely on them. It is impossible for me to react immediately.”

He also dodged a question on whether the polls were a referendum on the Left’s controversial land acquisition policy.

He lamented on his party’s defeat in Murshidabad Zilla Parishad polls — considered to be a Congress stronghold.

Of the 254 Gram Panchayat seats in the district, the Congress has won 140 seats and of the 26 Panchayat Samiti seats the Congress has won 11. Mukherjee represents the Jangipara Lok Sabha constituency, which falls in Murshidabad district.

State Congress president Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi is preparing a detailed report on the party’s performance in the panchayat polls.