WB: BJP calls for bandh on February 28 against alleged rigging during civic polls

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Kolkata: The BJP has given a call for a 12-hour bandh in West Bengal on Monday in protest against alleged rigging and attacks on the opposition party members by the ruling Trinamool Congress goons during elections to 108 municipalities across the state. BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya told reporters here that the shutdown from 6 am to 6 pm will exempt essential services like healthcare, milk supply and media.

"What happened today was not polling but a mockery of democracy. The elections have been reduced to a farce by the ruling party miscreants in almost every municipality in South and North Bengal. Several of our agents and candidates were beaten up, but the State Election Commission turned a blind eye," Bhattacharya alleged.

Even voters and journalists were roughed up, he claimed. The BJP leader said that the party workers will hit the streets on Monday and urge people to observe the bandh.

"Our MPs Arjun Singh, Sukanta Majumdar and Dilip Ghosh were not allowed to move around, there is total lawlessness and the constitutional machinery has collapsed. In such a situation, we were forced to call for a bandh,” Bhattacharya said.