Bengal's geography, demography ignored in deciding poll schedule: Trinamool

Kolkata, March 5 West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Saturday said the Election Commission (EC) should have been "more aware" about the state's geography and demography while drawing out the poll schedule for the assembly polls.

Interacting with media persons after an all-party meeting with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sunil Gupta, Trinamool vice president Mukul Roy also asserted his party would come back to power with over a two-third majority. 

"While its the prerogative of the EC to decide the number of phases and how to conduct the polls, but we feel, while picking up the assembly constituencies for the various phases, the EC should have been more aware about the state's geography and demography," he said. 

"We feel, the division of the constituencies have been done without having proper awareness about the geographical conditions, about the knowledge of adjoining districts. This will create problems in campaigning," said Roy.

His comments come a day after party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday terming the staggered six-phase assembly election schedule for the state as a "result of the stepmotherly" attitude towards the state.

Even as Roy criticised the schedule, both the Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) raised serious objections to the assertions claiming they were "intimidating".

"While the chief minister made a similar remark on Friday, Roy made a similar assertion during the meeting before the CEO, which is akin to threatening and intimidating the EC," said Congress leader Debabrata Bose.

The CPI-M, which on the day lodged formal complaints with the EC about some comments made by Banerjee also held a similar view.

"Roy's comments before the EC officials, is indicative of the Trinamool's lack of respect for democratic institutions. The ruling party led by the Mamata Banerjee has already started to resort to various intimidating tactics," said CPI-M leader Rabin Deb.