Robbed of their confidence, tables apparently turned in Nandigram, as once a dominant CPM now looks wary and fears that violence will erupt during the polls.

The CPM claims that is has not been able to place its polling agents in 53 of the total 228 booths and has appealed to the Election Commission for protection to its agents and voters.

The administration is also taking no chance for Monday’s Assembly by-elections and have made unprecedented security arrangements.

“We have decided to put two micro observers at booths where CPM has allegedly failed to put its agents. We have banned motorbikes. All the booths have been declared sensitive and we have deployed micro observers in all the booths. Unwanted vehicles, without proper permission will not be allowed to enter Nandigram. We are doing whatever is possible to ensure free and fair polls,” said Choten Dhendhup Lama, District Magistrate of East Midnapore.

More than 3,000 security personnel will be deployed for the by-elections here. The Election Commission has deployed seven companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) and eight companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) here. Apart from this, around 1,500 personnel from the state police will be involved in the poll process.

All the routes, 28 in number, connecting Nandigram and Khejuri have already been sealed.

At all border-junction routes, BSF jawans have been deployed for patrolling and have set up check-points. Riverine routes will also be patrolled by the paramilitary forces.

On Sunday afternoon, a group of evicted people belonging to the Trinamool Congress were brought to Satengabari from their temporary settlements. They were accompanied by police and CRPF jawans.

... contd.