Kolkata, June 16: Following her party's defeat in recent by-elections which she claimed was rigged by CPI (M), Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today raised her demand for imposition of President's rule in West Bengal alleging democracy has been "throttled" by Marxists to cling to power. "We have been repeatedly telling that democracy is not safe in the hands of the ruling CPI (M) which was resorting to unfair means to win elections for all these years with the help of a section of police and administration.
"I urge the Centre to impose President's rule in the state if the Left Front government failed to restore democratic rights of the opposition and the people," she told a party rally here.
Banerjee said due to CPI (M)'s "terror," her party and BJP could not put up candidates in 23,000 seats in the last month's panchayat elections. She alleged even in recent by-elections for Nabadwip parliamentary seat, CPI (M) had rigged the poll in connivance with a section of police and administration to wrest it from her party.
She said it was not only her party but also some of the Left Front partners, including RSP and Forward Bloc, besides Congress and other parties which had denounced CPI (M)'s "terror tactics". The rally was preceded by a ten-hour sit-in-dharna by TC leaders here to mark the start of a campaign by the party against the CPI (M)'s "terror." Bureau Report