LOK SABHA ELECTION

Polling at different booths in Cooch Behar district on Thursday.

JUMPLAUNCH

PLAYGROUND

Handball tournament

COOCH BEHAR, April 30: In the final match of the inter battalion handball tournament the 46-Bn BSF defeated the 13-Bn BSF by 15-12 goals. DIG-BSF, Cooch Behar Sector, Mr VS Sikarwar bestowed the trophy to the wining team. The Commandant of the 113-Bn, Mr Ajit Sudevan, had inaugurated the tournament on 28 April. 

LOK SABHA ELECTION

75 % polling in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 30: 75 percent polling was held in Cooch Behar today according to the district magistrate Mr RK Sinha. Cooch Behar SP Mr DP Singh claimed that the polling process was peaceful except a clash that held between Trinamul Congress and CPI-M supporters at Sitai. Three vehicles have been seized as they were plying without any permission, the SP said. 

LOK SABHA ELECTION

Forward Bloc, Trinamul Congress, GCDP hope victory in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 30: Observing the polling patter the Left Front supported Forward Bloc candidate Mr Nripendra Nath Roy hoped that he will be able to retain the Cooch Behar (SC) seat by a margin of about 1.5-lakh to 1.65-lakh votes. "This seat was of the Forward Bloc for many years and this time too it will be of our party", he said. District Forward Bloc secretary Mr Udayan Guha too believes that Mr Roy is going to represent Cooch Behar in the Lok Sabha.

District Trinamul Congress general secretary Mr Partha Nath Sarkar said the people are in favour of a change and it is going to happen here. In the last three-tier panchayat elections the Trinamul Congress pulled down the CPI-M from the power at two Panchayat Samitis – Tufanganj-I and Tufanganj-II. "Our candidates won at many gram panchayat seats and the Lok Sabha seat is also going to come to our party", he said.

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabi Ghosh said their candidate, Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan is the son the former Lok Sabha member Mr Amar Roy Pradhan who won eight times consecutively from Cooch Behar. He is already familiar with Parliamentary politics and he may represent the people of Cooch Behar efficiently in the Lok Sabha, Mr Ghosh hoped.

District BJP secretary Mr Nikhil Ranjan Dey said there are enough reasons to believe about victory of their candidate Mr Bhabendra Nath Barman. The BJP accumulated considerable organisational strength in this district and this time it is fighting alone because the Trinamul Congress broke the alliance with it. In the changing political scenario the BJP candidate may win in this seat, Mr Dey hoped.

The 70-year-old mother of the candidate of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party, Mrs Jayamati Barman offered a special puja at her Jarabari residence praying success of her son, Mr Bangshi Badan Barman. Later, she went to the local polling booth to cast her vote. Mr Barman is in the jail since his surrender on 25 May 2006. Seven cases are running against him at different courts.

Expressing pleasure over the peaceful polling the GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said if no tricky device was practiced their candidate has every chance to win. "At many booths in Sitai, the Left Front supporters tried to attack our men but timely intervention of the police prevented any trouble", he said. "We are now waiting for the result", the GCDP leader added in a cheerful mood. 

Almost peaceful poll in Cooch Behar, clash at Panisala

COOCH BEHAR, April 30: Polling was held in Cooch Behar Parliamentary (SC) constituency for 13,29,035 voters (including 1,054 service electors). There were 2,097 polling booths in this district. 11 percent polling was reported till 9 a.m. It was 26 percent at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m. the polling percentage reached to 42 percent.

Though the weather was hot it was cloudy and pleasant to some extent. The voters had to wait in long queues at the booths at the beginning but as the day grew older the crowd at the booths started evaporating.

A clash occurred between CPI-M and Trinamul Congress supporters over spelling mistake of names in voters' list at Panigram of Panisala. Three persons were wounded and shifted to hospital. Polling was suspended for about two hours due to the incident. Later, a large contingent of police rushed to the spot and the situation came under control.

Complaints started pouring in from a number of polling booths over malfunctioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) since the beginning. These booths were in Cooch Behar town, Sitalkuchi, Mathabhanga, Natabari and Dakshin Rampur. Polling was differed to about half-an-hour to one hour in these booths till making of the EVMs operational again.

District BJP secretary Mr Nikhil Ranjan Dey alleged that at Dewanhat the CPI-M and the Forward Bloc activists carried voters to the booths by vehicles fitted with party flags. They lodged a complaint to the concerned sector officer, he said.

In Dinhata, district Forward Bloc secretary Mr Udayan Guha alleged that the Central forces harassed the voters who turned up to cast their votes at Burirhat and other booths. They conveyed their complaint to the Election Commission, Mr Guha said.

In a complaint to the district magistrate, a CPI-M leader and an ex-minister Mr Dinesh Dakua said that at a number of booths in Mathabhanga town and adjoining areas the EVMs were found with black inks covering the symbol of the FB candidate (lion). Later, the ink spots of the EVMs have been cleaned, CPI-M sources said.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

The day before the Lok Sabha election at Dinhata in Cooch Behar on Wednesday.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

Cooch Behar ready for tomorrow's poll

COOCH BEHAR, April 29: Cooch Behar district is ready for tomorrow's Parliamentary election. Polling parties have left for the booths today. About 8,500 polling personnel are to man the polling booths tomorrow.

Among the 2,097 polling booths 864 have been declared as critical. The district is divided in 203 sectors and nine companies of Central para-military forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF and SAP are to maintain law and order in 107 sectors. About 5,000 WBAP jawans are also brought in from outer district for election duty.

Special security measures are being taken at 34 booths in Tufanganj and Boxirhat. These booths are adjacent to the Assam-Bengal border. At each of the 31 booths six jawans from Central forces are to be deployed while 12 jawans are to be deployed at each of the remaining three booths.

The 523-km Bangladesh border in the district is to be kept sealed till completion of the polling process. Strict surveillance would be there along the 94-km Assam-Bengal border. Central forces are to assist the existing armed forces to maintain peace at the bordering areas and other vulnerable places.

Tomorrow, the polling might be held in a peaceful situation, hoped the district magistrate Mr RK Sinha and SP Mr DP Singh.

On the otherhand, the candidates and their parties concerned are now busy in speculating their fates. Though the campaign officially concluded yesterday, the activists engaged themselves in door-to-door canvassing till now.

Both, the Left Front supported Forward Bloc candidate Mr Nripendra Nath Roy and the Congress supported Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan, are confident about their victory. The Congress-Trinamul alliance believes that they may be able to snatch the Cooch Behar (SC) seat from the Forward Bloc. But, the CPI-M and Forward Bloc are not in a mood to surrender to the 'wind of change'.

The changing political scenario may play a decisive role this time. The BJP was with the Trinamul Congress in the previous election. This time they fielded a separate candidate. Instead, the Congress came out to support the Trinamul Congress.

On the otherhand, The CPI-M and the Forward Bloc came closer, at least apparently, leaving the bitter disunity between them. The Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) too is in the poll fray. Candidates of the PDS, the BSP, the RPI, the Amra Bangalee may also pull a large quantity of votes in favour of their candidates.

And, considering the political arithmetic it depends on the other parties whether the Trinamul or the FB candidate to win or not. 

LOK SABHA ELECTION

(TOP) Not a car parking lot. Vehicles ready for election duty. At Samhati Maidan in Dinhata on Tuesday.(BOTTOM) Forward Bloc's canvassing for vote on the last day. In Dinhata on Tuesday.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans arrived in the town for election duty. In Cooch Behar on Monday.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

Joint road-show of the Congress and the Trinamul Congress with Trinamul candidate Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan. In Cooch Behar on Monday.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

KPP to support BJP, GCPA too

COOCH BEHAR, April 27: The Kamtapur People's party has withdrawn its candidate in Cooch Behar (SC) Parliamentary constituency. Instead, it expressed its support to the BJP candidate in this seat. Yesterday, at an election meeting that held at Tufanganj, the KPP candidate Mr Nubas Barman appealed the voters to cast their votes in favour of the BJP candidate Mr Bhabendra Nath Barman. An eminent BJP leader Mr Tapan Sikdar was also present in the meeting.

KPP sources said they got assurance from the BJP that if it came to power it would table bills in the Parliament on formation of the proposed Kamtapuri state and recognition of Kamtapuri language. Following the BJP's assurance they have decided to extend support to the BJP candidate, KPP sources explained.

Mr Sikdar said the proponents of a separate state never said that they want to get out of India. They demanded formation of a separate state under the framework of the Indian Constitution and it is no crime, the BJP leader clarified.

Till recently, The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) was appealing to the Centre to form a caretaker ministry in the territory of the proposed Greater Cooch Behar state and cancellation of election process in this region. Now, they too came out to extend support to the BJP. As BJP supported their demands they decided to support the BJP candidate, GCPA sources said. The GCPA already asked its activists to campaign in support of the BJP candidate, a senior GCPA leader said.

The BJP's state committee member and also secretary of the party's district unit, Mr Nikhil Ranjan Dey said the decision of withdrawal of the KPP candidate in favour of the BJP candidate and the GCPA's support may yield a good result. Till now, neither the CPI-M nor the Congress paid any heed to the demands and grievances of the people of north Bengal. The BJP will try to solve the demands of a separate state and recognition of Kamtapuri language over the table under Constitutional framework. "But, it is not true that we are supporting another division of Bengal", Mr Dey said.

It may be mentioned here that another organisation (Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party) that believes in formation of a separate Greater Cooch Behar state has fielded Mr Bangshi Badan Barman in the poll fray. The GCDP is enjoying support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP). 

PHOTO : Joint road-show of the Congress and the Trinamul Congress with Trinamul candidate Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan. In Cooch Behar on Monday.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

(1) Joint campaign by GCDP, NCP and KPP supporting the GCDP candidate in Cooch Behar. (2) Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan and others in a road-show at Dinhata in Cooch Behar on Sunday.

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ADDRESS : Debashis Bhaumik, Maharaja Harendra Narayan Road, Patakura (Near Bundh), Cooch Behar-736101 (West Bengal).
E-mail : newsman.cob@gmail.com
Webpage : http://coochbeharcalling.blogspot.com ; http://dbhaumik.blogspot.com
Skype : debashisbhaumik

LOK SABHA ELECTION

PA Sangma to compensate Bangshi's absence in campaign

COOCH BEHAR, April 26: Among the ten candidates contesting in Cooch Behar (SC) Parliamentary constituency, Mr Bangshi Badan Barman of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) is the lone one who failed to appear in person during his electioneering. The leaders of his party are campaigning on behalf of him. Mr Barman is staying behind the bars as he is an undertrial prisoner and seven cases are running against him at different courts.

General secretary of the GCDP Mr Phanindra Nath Barman said they tried their best to get the candidate released on bail to do the campaign but the bail plea has been rejected at the High Court on Friday. The court however ordered that the trial against Mr Barman should be completed by one-and-half months. If it was not completed by that period the bail petition may be considered by the court, the GCDP general secretary claimed.

On the otherhand, an eminent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Mr PA Sangma is to address two election meetings in favour of the GCDP candidate. The NCP already expressed its support to the GCDP. Mr Sangma will address a GCDP meeting at Baromaricha of Sitalkuchi in Mathabhanga tomorrow. On the next day he will address a similar meeting at Chakchaka near Cooch Behar town, according to the GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma.

The GCDP president said they have been conducting canvassing by rickshaw-vans and street corner meetings. They are busy in organising small group meetings and door-to-door campaigns at villages instead of large meetings. The activists of the NCP and the KPP are also helping them. "We are expecting to yield a good result as the grass root level workers and supporters of other political parties are coming forward to support our candidate. Support to our candidate means support to our demands like formation of a separate state and recognition of our mother-tongue", the GCDP leader said.

LOK SABHA ELECTION

9-company Central force in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 26: Nine companies of Central forces including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) would be deployed in Cooch Behar district in addition to the existing forces, according to the district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr RK Sinha. The Central forces will be deployed at all the critical polling booths and also along the bordering areas to maintain peace during the polling process.

Meanwhile, special checking of vehicles is being held along the Assam-Bengal border, the DM said. The co-operation of the police and civil administration of neighbouring Assam has been sought to keep the state border area peaceful during the polling process, he added.

On the otherhand, six Election Commission observers are supervising the election preparation in Cooch Behar district including four in Cooch Behar (SC) Parliamentary Constituency. 364 micro-observers are also engaged to make the polling process smooth, Mr Sinha said.

The BSF have sealed the 523-kilometre long Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district with effect from yesterday. It will continue till completion of the polling process. The state border with Assam is also being kept under strict surveillance for the period, according to the district magistrate. He has already asked senior BSF officials to maintain strict vigilance along the International border till the end of the polling process. During the period the border would be kept completely sealed, he said.

On the otherhand, the Cooch Behar Sadar SDO has promulgated Section 144 at Panisala and Jiranpur gram panchayat areas under Cooch Behar-I block. Following this order organising of all political or non-political rallies are banned in the concerned areas till 28 May. The order was imposed in a bid to conduct the Lok Sabha election peacefully, the officer-in-charge of district media cell clarified. 

ELECTION

Unemployed youths in queue to get an opportunity to be engaged as temporary Home Guards to be deployed for poll duty. At Police Line Ground in Cooch Behar on Thursday.

HOT SUMMER

Waiting for thirsty buyers. In Cooch Behar on Thursday.

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

Stop poll process : GCPA's demand to President

COOCH BEHAR, April 21: The Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCPA) has once again raised its demand to form a caretaker ministry for the proposed Greater Cooch Behar C-category state. Submitting a memorandum to the President, the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister through the district magistrate of Cooch Behar today the GCPA secretary Kumari Namita Barman sought permission of the President to form the proposed caretaker ministry in the interest of the socio economic development of the people of the 'Greater Cooch Behar C-camp State'.

In the memorandum the GCPA also demanded and end to the election process for the ensuing Lok Sabha election in the 'Greater Cooch Behar State' terming it an unconstitutional act. They demanded amendment of the Indian Constitution to nominate two representatives from the 'Greater Cooch Behar State' to the Indian Parliament. In That case they would not hesitate to obey the Indian Constitution. GCPA sources said they have submitted similar memorandums on 24 March of this year.

Today, the GCPA organised a huge gathering at Shahid Baag in Cooch Behar and later they submitted the memorandum to the district magistrate. Similar programmes were also held at other north Bengal districts today, GCPA sources claimed.

The legal secretary of the GCPA Mr Chitta Ranjan Roy said they have been on a sit-in at Jantar-Mantar in New Delhi since 28 August 2006 with firm determination of fulfilment of their demand to an all out socio-economic development of the people of the 'Greater Cooch Behar'.

When asked, Mr Roy denied that they were going towards a poll boycott programme. "Instead, we are appealing to stop the poll process in Cooch Behar because we think it is unconstitutional. We are living here outside of the purview of the Indian Constitution and so the election of the Indian Parliament is unconstitutional here. Instead, they should nominate two representatives from here to the Parliament following the Constitution's directive for the native states", the GCPA leader said. 

ELECTION

Amar Roy Pradhan ousted from JFB

COOCH BEHAR, April 21: Janabadi Forward Bloc has suspended its chairman Mr Amar Roy Pradhan from the party. The decision was adopted at the secretariat meeting of the party that was held last night in Kolkata. Soon, he may be expelled from the party. Prior to his expulsion from the Forward Bloc Mr Roy Pradhan represented Cooch Behar to the Lok Sabha eight times consecutively.

The JFB chairman's son Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan is the Trinamul Congress candidate from Cooch Behar seat. Mr Roy Pradhan too engaged himself in campaigns in favour of his son. The JFB was an ally of the Trinamul-led alliance. But, recently, it decided to come out of the alliance and support the Left Front. Considering the new stance, the chairman was engaged in anti-party activity and so he was suspended from the JFB, said the vice-president of the party Mr Dipak Sengupta. 

ELECTION

Pranab, Mamata's joint meet a morale booster

COOCH BEHAR, April 20: The joint visit of Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Miss Mamata Banerjee to Cooch Behar on Sunday appears as a morale booster to the Congress and Trinamul Congress supporters. The two parties jointly organised the election rally that turned a mammoth one. All local senior leaders of the both parties attended the meeting with their followers. The Trinamul supremo left Cooch Behar with a belief that she may be able to bag this seat defeating the Left Front's candidate.

A state Trinamul secretary, Mr Abdul Jalil Ahmed said, "We taught the CPI-M a lesson in the last three-tier panchayat elections in this district. We snatched the two Panchayat Samitis and many Gram Panchayat seats from them in Tufanganj sub-division. In other areas too we bagged a number of seats. We made the CPI-M and others in the Left Front not to consider Cooch Behar district a red bastion any more. Now, in the Lok Sabha election we are going to make our presence felt by winning this seat. Sunday's joint meeting encouraged our activists and supporters to go ahead to pull down the 'Lal Jhandawalas' from the seat of power."

District vice-president of the party Mr Niranjan Dutta too echoed Mr Ahmed. "The Left Front would not be able to retain its seat this time. They would have to go backward because they have no ability to face the united force of the Trinamul Congress and the Congress. Sunday's huge gathering acted as a morale booster to our supporters."

District Congress vice-president Mr Dipak Neogi, district Youth Congress president Mr Avijit Dey Bhaumik, district Trinamul Youth Congress president Kumar Rajib Narayan and district Chhatra Parishad president Mr Rakesh Chaudhury too believe that there is every possibility to get the Cooch Behar seat. An AICC member Mrs Sabita Roy said, "The large gathering at the Sunday's joint meeting inspired our activists to get Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan a winner by a huge margin." 

GOOD JOB

Commanding Officer of 13 Bn NCC Mr RK Singh plants a sapling on the occasion of National Cadet Corps' senior division enrolment ceremony at Dinhata High School. At Dinhata on Monday.

ELECTION

PA Sangma to campaign for Bangshi Badan Barman

COOCH BEHAR, April 20: The supporters of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) took out a procession in Cooch Behar town today. They were campaigning in favour of their candidate in Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency, Mr Bangshi Badan Barman. Supporters of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) also joined the procession. Similar rallies have been held at Dinhata, Mathabhanga, Tufanganj and Mekhliganj sub-divisions, GCDP sources claimed.

GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said they were trying to bail out their candidate form the jail. A petition is being submitted to the High Court today and it is expected that the hearing for it will commence soon, he said. If Mr Barman can come out from the jail he will be the chief speaker and the main crowd puller in the election meetings, the GCDP president said.

To add wind to the poll spirit a senior NCP leader Mr PA Sangma may come to Cooch Behar soon to campaign in support of the GCDP candidate. As he is suffering from some ailments he flew back to Delhi yesterday to avail medical treatment there, Mr Barma said.

He may come again here to canvass for the GCDP candidate, Mr Barma added.

Mentionworthy, Mr Sangma met Mr Bangshi Badan Barman and other 'Greater Cooch Behar' activists in Cooch Behar District Correctional Home yesterday morning. He went there accompanied by a senior lawyer from the Supreme Court, Mr Amit Kumar and GCDP general secretary Mr Phanindra Nath Barman. Later, Mr Sangma told the media persons that he came to discuss all aspects related to the bail petition with the jailed 'Greater Cooch Behar' leader who was fielded as the GCDP candidate. He should get the opportunity to canvass like other candidates and so he should get released on bail. A lawyer of the Supreme Court has been engaged to move the court for his bail, Mr Sangma said.

The NCP leader also said that they were extending support to the GCDP candidate in the Lok Sabha election because they support the GCDP's movement for mother tongue.

Today, the GCDP president said, "Mr Sangma expressed the NCP's support to our language demand. But, as we are fighting for a separate state the NCP's support should be considered as their support to our struggle for the proposed separate state."

Not only the NCP and the KPP but also grass-root level activists of all political parties are to vote for the GCDP candidate in the Lok Sabha election though they are not saying anything openly, claimed the GCDP president. "From tomorrow we will campaign with cut-outs and pictures of our candidate boarding on rickshaw-vans at all rural areas", Mr Barma said.

ELECTION

West Bengal Chief minister in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 19: State chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee termed the BJP a communal party during his election speeches at Tufanganj and Dinhata in Cooch Behar district today It is a dangerous party. They demolished the Babari Masjid and the Congress was a silent spectator. Though the Congress is not a pro-people party the Leftists had to join hands with it out of political compulsion to resist the BJP, he clarified. The CM came here to campaign in favour of the Left Front's Forward Bloc candidate Mr Nripendra Nath Roy.

The CM called upon the proponents of Gorkhaland to shun off violence. "If you need power, take it, if you need money, take it but please do not disturb peace", he said.

The Trinamul Congress is also a dangerous party according to the chief minister. The Congress is bringing this party to north Bengal. It would surely pose a threat to the people. The Congress is a sinking ship and so it is trying to maintain its existence with the help of the Trinamul Congress, he opined.

The senior CPI-M leader admitted that there were differences between the CPI-M and the Forward Bloc during the last panchayat elections in Cooch Behar district. It was unfortunate but now both the parties are moving forward jointly, leaving behind the differences. There is no power to resist the joint force of these two parties in this district, he claimed.

The Congress was in power at the Centre and in this state for many years. They authored 11 5-year plans but that failed to remove the poverty of the people. "But now, in our limited power we are providing rice at Rs 2 a kilo to the people", he claimed. He called upon the poor people to get included in the BPL lists to get benefits of government schemes.

The chief minister alleged that the Congress hatched a plan to destroy the country by the nuclear deal. "In the greater interest of the country we lifted our support from the Congress led government", he said. As the BJP and the Congress both are dangerous parties a third front is needed. Once it comes to power it must take up many good schemes for the benefit of the common people. In the Congress regime one-lakh peasants committed suicide but in this state there is no such example, he claimed.

The ruling CPI-M lost the two Panchayat Samitis and several Gram Panchayat seats in Tufanganj sub-division in the last panchayat elections though till recently Tufanganj was known as a red bastion of the CPI-M. The Forward Bloc had to hand over two Assembly seats in Dinhata sub-division – Dinhata and Sitai – to the Trinamul Congress and the Congress in the last Assembly elections. There was no unity between the two LF partners in the rural polls. The chief minister's today's visit to these two sub-divisions is a damage control effort to regain the Left Front's majority, believes many locals. 

ELECTION

(1) Tight security measure at the election meeting that attended by state chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. In Dinhata on Sunday. (2) Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee addresses at a Left Front election meeting at Dinhata on Sunday.

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ADDRESS : Debashis Bhaumik, Maharaja Harendra Narayan Road, Patakura (Near Bundh), Cooch Behar-736101 (West Bengal).
E-mail : newsman.cob@gmail.com
Webpage : http://coochbeharcalling.blogspot.com
Skype : debashisbhaumik

ELECTION

(1&2) Miss Mamata Banerjee addresses at an election meeting at Raas Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar on Sunday. (3) Congress leader Mr Pranab Mukherjee addresses at a election meeting at Raas Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar on Sunday. (4) Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Miss Mamata Banerjee proceeding to attend a election meeting in Cooch Behar on Sunday.

ELECTION

Mamata Banerjee, Pranab Mukherjee in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 19: Trinamul Congress supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on the CPI-M led Left Front during her electioneering in Cooch Behar. Today, she addressed a large gathering organised jointly by the Trinamul Congress and the Congress at Raas Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar. She came here to campaign in favour of the Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan.

Miss Banerjee alleged that the Left Front did nothing in north Bengal in its regime of 32 years. There is vast opportunity to work for development of the region. She hoped that the PTTI issue might be solved very soon.

The Trinamul leader declared that they would not allow Bengal to be divided any more. The secessionist forces like KLO and Greater Cooch Behar movement are conspiracies hatched by the CPI-M as it did prior to previous elections. The Forward Bloc is also acting as a tail of the CPI-M leaving its glorious past and ignoring the memories of the martyrs, she said.

Miss Banerjee alleged that a massive amount of money is being poured in this state to push back the Trinamul Congress, but "they will not be able to defeat our morale". The CPI-M handed over Darjeeling to the BJP, she added.

Union minister and state Congress president Mr Pranab Mukherjee claimed that there was no difference between the Congress and the Trinamul Congress. "We are fighting jointly and Mamata's speech is my speech", he said. The people wanted the alliance and so the two parties entered into the alliance, he said. It is no rainbow alliance, he claimed.

West Bengal is going backward in all sectors under Left Front rule. The Left Front failed to arrange jobs for even 37 days in 100 days for the jobless people. The common people would set the things on the right track by defeating the Left Front candidates, he hoped. Mr Mukherjee predicted that the Left Front might not be able to retain most of its seats in this state. It will never get the required 272 seats to form a government at the Centre, he said.

The senior Congress leader said Gorkhaland is no more an issue of the West Bengal alone. Every effort would be taken to stop the division of Bengal, he said. 

NO PARKING!

'No Parking' zone is the ideal place for parking vehicles. In Dinhata on Monday.

DINHATA COLLEGE

This neglected and deserted building was once the quarters of the teachers of Dinhata College. In Dinhata on Monday.

GREATER COOCHBEHAR

NCP's support to GCDP's demand of separate state

COOCH BEHAR, April 6: The Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party had declared that they would submit nomination of their jailed candidate Mr Bangshi Badan Barman today. But, when they completed official formalities including preparing of the required documents the stipulated time was over. GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma said they would file the nomination tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) expressed its support to the GCDP. The Cooch Behar district unit president of the NCP, Ms Usha Roy said they would support the GCDP candidate in the election. She also declared their support to the formation of a separate Cooch Behar state, which was the main demand of the GCDP. Ms Roy said their senior leader Mr PA Sangma will come to Cooch Behar for electioneering in favour of Mr Barman. Moreover, the MPs of the NCP would raise the demand of formation of a separate Cooch Behar state on the floor of the parliament, the NCP leader added.

It may be recalled here that Mr Bangshi Badan Barman was nominated by the GCDP to fight the poll battle in Cooch Behar Parliamentary constituency. As an undertrial, Mr Barman is staying behind the bars since his surrender to the court on 25 May 2006 in connection with a large-scale violence that occurred in Cooch Behar on 20 September 2005. Five persons including one ASP, two policemen and two 'Greater Cooch Behar' supporters had to die during that violence. Presently, seven cases are running against Mr Barman and his associates. 

ELECTION SPECIAL

A candidate's novel plan to woo voters

When all the political parties are busy in organising campaigns in favour of their candidates by all the familiar means like pasting posters, displaying large banners, writing coloured graffiti on walls, etc, a candidate planned some other thing. He is going to start an indefinite hunger strike with a few followers. He is to organise a cultural programme too with star performers of 'yatra' and cinema.

 

Mr Krishnakanta Barman, a young man of 29 is the district unit secretary of the Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS). He is the first candidate of Cooch Behar Parliamentary constituency who submitted his nomination on the very first day. Mr Barman said he would start an indefinite hunger strike in front of the office of the district magistrate on and from 14 April. About thirty PDS supporters are to accompany him.

 

Today, Mr Barman met the outgoing Forward Bloc MP Mr Hiten Barman at his Mathabhanga residence and sought his blessings. He will also go to seek blessings from district Congress president Mr Biren Kundu, senior Congress leader Mr Shyamal Choudhury, district Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabi Ghosh and senior CPI-M leaders. "I like to start my poll battle armed with the blessings of the experienced political leaders", he said.

 

As he is an eminent impresario of north Bengal, Mr Barman has to go to Kolkata very often but the journey is not very smooth due to lack of air service from Cooch Behar Airport. "During my hunger strike my priority demand will be restoring of Cooch Behar-Kolkata air service because without the air service Cooch Behar will continue to remain as a backward district. It is also essential to boost up industrialisation in this region", he said.

 

He will also demand permanent measures to save people from the river erosion menace.

Setting up of a mini-Writers Building at Cooch Behar, resuming of Cooch Behar-Kolkata railway service through Bangladesh via Gitaldaha, resolving the problems of PTTI students and setting up units of heavy industries to provide jobs to the unemployed youths of the region are also among other demands the PDS candidate is going to raise.

 

Holding of a cultural extravaganza at Rabindra Bhavan a few days before the polling date is also on the pipeline, Mr Barman said.

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ADDRESS : Debashis Bhaumik, Maharaja Harendra Narayan Road, Patakura (Near Bundh), Cooch Behar-736101 (West Bengal).
E-mail : newsman.cob@gmail.com
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COOCHBEHAR TODAY

Trinamul complaint to EC against police official

COOCH BEHAR, April 3: The Trinamul Congress demanded removal of the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Mathabhanga Mr Ananda Roy. They alleged that the SDPO was working under the diktat of the CPI-M leaders. Mr Roy however pleaded his ignorance to the allegation. The Trinamul Congress is going to submit a complaint to the Election Commission demanding the SDPO's removal as he was working with a partisan attitude, according to the party's district unit president Mr Rabi Ghosh.

A violent clash occurred at Sarkarer-hat village of Khalisamari gram panchayat under Sitalkuchi police station on Thursday evening. The trouble broke out when the supporters of both the CPI-M and the Trinamul Congress took out armed rallies in favour of the candidates concerned. Ten persons including a police official were injured during the clash.

Cooch Behar SP Mr DP Singh said today, no complaints were lodged by anyone so far over the incident that took place last evening. A large contingent of police force was sent to the spot to calm down the situation. The officer-in-charge of Sitalkuchi police station Mr Samar Das was among the injured, he said. Four injured persons were sent to hospital last night. 33 persons were arrested in connection with the clash and violation of Section 144 CrPC that was imposed recently against carrying of arms, he said.

It was learnt that supporters of political parties take out armed rallies regularly in different areas in the district violating the prohibitory order. A few days ago, on behalf of the Trinamul Congress a complaint was lodged to the SDO of Mathabhanga against the CPI-M but no steps was taken, alleged district Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabi Ghosh. Yesterday, both the parties took out armed rallies at Sarkarer-hat and the clash occurred.

Mr Ghosh alleged that the SDPO ordered action selectively against Trinamul supporters only. A number of innocent Trinamul supporters were arrested in connection with the violence, he said. 

When asked, the Cooch Behar SP said carrying of arms was prohibited by the administration by promulgating Section 144 CrPC. The police will take action against the offenders if any violation of the order found. The police will not wait for lodging of any complaint from any political party. It will act on its own, the SP said. 

 

Nomination

COOCH BEHAR, April 3: Trinamul Congress candidate for Cooch Behar Parliamentary constituency, Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan submitted his nomination papers today. The Congress also expressed its support to the candidate. 

COOCHBEHAR TODAY

(1) Mr Arghya Roy Pradhan is going to file nomination accompanied by Congress and Trinamul Congress leaders. In Cooch Behar on Friday. (2) Basanti Puja at Kalighat in Cooch Behar on Friday.

COOCHBEHAR - THE CITY OF BEAUTY

Who cares to keep the city clean! In Cooch Behar on Thursday.

COOCHBEHAR NEWS

2 Maoist inmates shifted to hospital

COOCH BEHAR, April 2: Two Maoist undertrial prisoners have been shifted to MJN Hospital last night. They are Ajit Chakraborty and Ratan Roy. They were on hunger strike inside Cooch Behar District Correctional Home (CDCH) since Sunday demanding status as political prisoners.

It was learnt that Ajit Chakraborty alias Tyara Master was provided with the political prisoner status but Ratan Roy is yet to be treated as a political prisoner. The two Maoist activists started hunger strike since Sunday. The jail authorities failed to convince them to take food.

As the two Maoists' health condition worsened last night they were shifted to MJN Hospital, said Cooch Behar SP Mr DP Singh. Cooch Behar CMOH Dr Radha Raman Banik said proper medical aids have been arranged for the two. A medical team is keeping watch on their health, Dr Banik said.

Police said Ajit Chakraborty alias Tyara Master (69), a resident of Diamond Harbour, was engaged in different political activities in north Bengal on behalf of his organisation, COC-CPIML (2nd CC). In 1981 a case of sedition was brought against him in Jalpaiguri. There were several cases against him in Cooch Behar district too. During trial of the cases he was in Cooch Behar District Jail but he managed to escape from there with five others on 16 May 1985. The police nabbed the Naxilite leader from Hanskhali in 24 Parganas on 3 April 2008. Police produced him at a Cooch Behar court on 23 July 2008 and since then he was in the CDCH.

Mr Ratan Roy, stated to be a hardcore Maoist activist, was arrested from Mansai under Baxirhat police station in Cooch Behar on 29 January of this year. He has several take-names like Sahidul, Prakash and Bangtu. Police said Mr Roy had undergone arms training in East Singbhum of Jhargram in 2006-2007. It is suspected that he is associated with Maoist activities in different areas of West Bengal and Jhargram. Earlier, he had been arrested in Alipurduar in 2005 in connection with a case. He is a resident of Alipurduar sub-division of Jalpaiguri. 

 

ASP killing : Bangshi produced in court

COOCH BEHAR, April 2: Forty-five 'Greater Cooch Behar' activists including Mr Bangshi Badan Barman were produced in the court of district and sessions judge, Mr KYS Manhas inside Cooch Behar District Correctional Home today. During the hearing of a case related to the murder of an ASP, a witness was cross-examined but he was declared hostile by the government side. Public Prosecutor Mr Ganesh Chandra Roy Karmakar was on the government side while Mr Shibendra Nath Roy stood on the side of the accused.

ELECTION

PDS candidate

COOCH BEHAR, April 2: On behalf of the Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS) Mr Krishnakanto Barman submitted the first nomination paper for the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat today. He is the district unit secretary of the PDS.

NO PARKING

Plan to better the traffic system in Cooch Behar

COOCH BEHAR, April 2: In a bid to improve the deteriorated traffic system in Cooch Behar town a planned measure is going to be taken. The superintendent of police, Mr DP Singh ordered an investigation into the situation and instructed submitting of a report within seven days. Reviewing the report specific measures would be taken to better the facility in this town.

Nowadays, the passenger vehicles stop at the places where 'No Parking' boards are displayed. Such habit is a real humour to all passer-by. Not all the traffic signal posts situated at important road crossings are functioning well. The traffic personnel engaged in the crossings are very often prefers to stay along roadside as idle onlookers. A section of drivers of different types of vehicles – private and government cars and passenger buses - pay no heed to the traffic signal. Very often the traffic personnel on duty have to swallow abusive languages thrown by some drivers. Knocking down makeshift road dividers established near the busy crossings by vehicles became a regular practice. As a whole, the traffic system has been suffering in this heritage town.

After receiving complaints from different quarters about the deteriorating condition the traffic system, the Cooch Behar SP, Mr DP Singh convened a meeting yesterday. Senior police officials attended the meeting. In the meeting the SP instructed the OC (Town) and OC (Traffic) to prepare a report and submit that to him by seven days.

After reviewing the report measures will be taken to improve the system, Mr Singh said. A company installed the traffic signal posts but how these are to be maintained is yet to be determined. An agency may be appointed for the job. A decision will be taken soon about maintenance of the traffic signals, the SP added. 

ELECTION

Election Commission's 'yes' to Bangshi's candidature

COOCH BEHAR, April 1: The top leader of the 'greater Cooch Behar' movement, Mr Bangshi Badan Barman is getting ready to fight the poll battle from inside the Cooch Behar District Correctional Home.

President of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) Mr Ashutosh Barma claimed that Mr Barma obtained the required permission from the Election Commission against his prayer that he submitted sometime ago.

The GCDP president said they were preparing to submit the nomination of Mr Barman as the candidate of the GCDP in Cooch Behar Parliamentary constituency within a day or two.

As an undertrial, Mr Barma is staying behind the bars since his surrender to the court on 25 May 2006 in connection with a large-scale violence that occurred in Cooch Behar on 20 September 2005. Seven cases are running against him and his associates.

Meanwhile, the GCDP is trying to bail out their leader from the jail. His presence is very much needed during the canvassing to woo the people to vote for him. Legal initiatives are being taken to get the bail order from the High Court, GCDP sources said. The GCDP has also kept ready another person for the candidature if any difficulty arises over the candidature of Mr Bangshi Badan Barman. The second man is the GCDP's treasurer, Mr Ajit Kumar Barman.

For the electioneering the GCDP will use recorded speeches of Mr Bangshi Badan Barman. Audio compact discs (CD) will be used in rural areas to spread the message of the party. If Mr Barman fails to get released on bail his speech may be recorded inside the jail. In case of any difficulty in obtaining permission for doing it, CDs will be made using his old speeches. These will be circulated everywhere, the GCDP president said. Rickshaw vans fitted with large size photographs and cutouts of the candidate will be pressed into campaign alongwith pre-recorded speech. The aim of such campaign will not only be confined in seeking votes but it will also highlight the main demand of the party – formation of a separate Greater Cooch Behar state, GCDP sources said. (PHOTO : Mr Bangshi Badan Barman addresses at a gathering.- A file photograph.)

ELECTION

River erosion may harm Left Front

COOCH BEHAR, April 1: Erosion of rivers is a round the year menace in Tufanganj. There are several rivers in this sub-division in Cooch Behar district and the locals have to suffer due to erosion.

In the last three-tier panchayat elections the river erosion issue came up in Tufanganj and the Opposition parties especially the Trinamul Congress did their campaign armed with this issue. It yielded result too. The ruling Left Front had to take its hands off from two Panchayat Samitis – Tufanganj-I and Tufanganj-II. The Trinamul Congress and the BJP bagged a number of gram panchayat seats too. This time, they took up the issue for the Lok Sabha election.

During the previous monsoon efforts had been taken to save Baro-Laukuthi village from the massive erosion of Sankosh river with bamboos and sandbags. But, those were washed away leaving a few empty bamboo-frames that were used to keep the sandbags intact. Another monsoon is coming but no initiative has taken yet to resist the erosion. The panic-stricken villagers fear of disaster. Their resentment may flatten the vote-bag of the Congress-Trinamul Congress alliance candidate.

Sankosh, Gangadhar and Raidak-II rivers have kept separated the Baro-Laukuthi village of Bhanukumari-I gram panchayat from the rest of Tufanganj-I block. Country boats are the main mode of transport in this area where more than 500 families reside. Electricity is yet to arrive here. There are no blacktop roads. Flood is an annual phenomenon. The erosion of the rivers turned many villagers landless, who are mostly farmers.

Not only Baro-Laukuthi, the residents of neighbouring villages like Mahishkuchi, Rampur-I, Rampur-II, Balabhut and Barokodali are also worst sufferers of river erosion. As there was no arrangement of power supply the farmers cannot irrigate their cultivable lands. Availability of drinking water is also an acute problem.

District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta said the Left Front failed to improve the condition of the area during its regime. The aggrieved residents expressed their anger in the panchayat election and this may happen again in the Lok Sabha election.

The CPI-M MLA of Tufanganj, Ms Aloka Barman denied that no improvement was happened during the Left Front rule. The allegation raised by the Opposition parties are baseless and politically motivated ones, she said.