News Politics National Congress, LF face spectre of cross-voting in Bengal Rajya Sabha poll

Congress, LF face spectre of cross-voting in Bengal Rajya Sabha poll

Kolkata: High drama marked the eve of the biennial Rajya Sabha polls in West Bengal for five seats, amid speculations Thursday that a few legislators of the opposition Congress and Left Front were likely to

At a hurriedly convened media meet, LF spearhead Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator Rabin Deb accused the Trinamool Congress of luring away his party members through unfair means.

Deb said TMC workers have been "influencing" CPI-M members to vote for the ruling party in the the Rajya Sabha polls.

"A complaint has been lodged with the chief election commissioner, state chief electoral officer central election observer with our grievances. TMC workers have been using various methods, including scare tactics, money and promise of high posts to influence our legislators," he said.

There are six candidates in fray for the five Rajya Sabha seats.

Three Trinamool candidates actor Mithun Chakrabarty, former MP K.D. Singh and painter Jogendranath Chowdhuy as well as the only CPI-M candidate Ritabarata Banerjee look set to be elected.