Kolkata, July 16: BJP today demanded central intervention in West Bengal for "restoration of democracy" but said the party was not in favour of imposition of central rule in the state. West Bengal BJP chief Tathagata Roy, who led a BJP delegation to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at the Raj Bhavan here, alleged the CPI(M) had "unleashed a reign of terror" before the panchayat elections in the state as a result of which BJP-Trinamool Congress alliance had not been able to file nominations in as many as 23,000 seats.
The BJP delegation told the Prime Minister that holding of a fair election was not possible in the state till the election machinery continued to be in the hands of "politicised" civil servants.
Stating that the party wanted central intervention to restore democracy in the state, the state BJP chief said they were not in favour of imposition of central rule.
Bureau Report