WB govt under EC lens after code breach news

Kolkata: As the countdown to the West Bengal assembly elections begins, the latest allegations brought against the Left Front government were that the comrades were violating the model code of conduct.

As a result the doubts were there if an old election trick is being repeated behind the walls of Writers Building in Kolkata.

Just a month before the elections, there are allegations that the CPI(M) is clearing appointments, and other files that will help the incumbent government during the polls.

Is an old election trick being repeated behind the walls of Writers Building?

The allegations of violations in the model code of conduct are now being made against the second most powerful leader in Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's cabinet - the state finance minister Asim Dasgupta.

"EC is probing into complaints of violation of model code of conduct. Chief secretary has been asked to submit a report," said Additional Chief Electoral Officer Nikhil Kumar Sahana.

But the allegations are getting even more serious.

"Ministers are issuing government orders in backdates. Asim Dasgupta signed on 435 files that day. What were in those files?" said Sanket Chakrabarty, General Secretary, Federation of Secretariat Employees.

In what can be seen as a major embarrassment for the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government, the Trinamool Congress has vowed to re-open all these files if it comes to power.

"We want the government officers to stand up to this challenge and not get pressurised into doing wrong things because if we come to power then we will reopen all files," said Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee.

The CPM claims that these are mere allegations and the ministers can't be expected to stop pending work. Whatever be the outcome of the investigation this controversy will snowball into a big issue in the elections campaigns ahead.

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