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News Desk: The Election Commission of India has deployed a company of central forces for Nandigram — the Assembly seat with the biggest prestige battle between chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamul turncoat Suvendu Adhikari — to avoid any untoward incident during or after counting of votes on May 2.
The district police have also set up five police camps in Nandigram alone considering its charged atmosphere.
“Nandigram is highly sensitive and we have deployed enough security to avoid trouble after counting. If needed, more forces will be deployed,” said Sunil Yadav, the East Midnapore SP. Sources said areas such as Balrampur, Osmanchawk and Bhimkata were most vulnerable.
Sources in East Midnapore said there are six counting centres in the district where six companies of central forces will be deployed. Seven companies of central forces will be deployed in the district ahead of counting.
“There are areas near Nandigram that are also considered sensitive. Central forces will be deployed in Haldia, Khejuri, Bhagabanpur and Contai. But one company will be deployed in Nandigram alone,” said an official.
Nandigram has been tense since March 10, when Mamata sustained an injury in her leg the day she filed her nomination. The situation turned volatile amid Trinamul’s narrative that the BJP conspired to injure her, countered by the BJP’s claims that it was an accident and she was holding the BJP responsible for sympathy.
Ahead of polls in Nandigram on April 1, repeated clashes took place between Trinamul and BJP supporters. A Trinamul supporter, Rabin Manna, was injured in a clash and died later.
Sheikh Sufiyan, Mamata’s election agent, said they did not have a problem with central forces, but they should be “neutral”. BJP leaders said central forces had played a key role in holding the polls peacefully.
