Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Scientific Rigging in Haldia

No comments from me on the following.
It is self explanatory.
The CPM has put its plan for "Scientific Rigging" in action in Haldia


Desperately seeking poll ID on Seth’s turf

Biswabrata Goswami
HALDIA, March. 28: Fearing a backlash of the Nandigram carnage in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, thousands of CPI-M backed students and Citu backed labourers have suddenly made a beeline to the electoral rolls in the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency, on the pretext of ensuring victory for their party candidate, Mr Laxman Seth.
The sub-divisional office in Haldia has been flooded with around 4,000 applications for inclusion of name in the electoral rolls over the past few days. Most of these applications lack proof of identity.
According to documents submitted to the electoral office, around 300 of the 4,000 applicants are students of Haldia Institute of Technology (HIT), most of them in the 22-25 age group. The three-time CPI-M MP and Haldia strongman, Mr Laxman Seth, is himself a chairman of the institute’s Board of Governors.
The remaining applicants are mainly from labourers who work in various industrial units in Haldia. Those labourers who owe allegiance to Citu-backed labour unions, are mostly residents of other states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.
Ms Reshmi Kamal, sub-divisional officer of Haldia, said: “So far, we have received around 4,000 applications and the trend looks set to continue. Most of the applicants do not have any proof of identity. Even during the hearing session, the majority could not satisfy our electoral registration officers. We are looking into the matter, but will not issue any Epics to those who already have them.”
An HIT student whose name is already on the voter’s list in Midnapore town, said: “Recently, we received instructions from party leaders to file application for inclusion of our names in the voter’s list here. After the humiliating defeat in the last panchayat polls and the Nandigram by-election, the party is now uncertain about the prospect of Mr Seth in the Lok Sabha polls. The party is fanning panic among HIT employees that if Mr Seth fails to win the election, those who were employed on the strength of Mr Seth's persuasion may lose their jobs.”
Mr Ashok Patnaik, a Citu state committee leader in Haldia, said: “If any one stays at a place for more than six months, he or she may apply for inclusion of his or her name in the voter list according to the constitutional provision. So, how can I resist them?”

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