Political parties defer bypoll campaign due to ban on microphones

MALDA, April 2: The government’s prohibitory order on using microphones to campaign for the upcoming Kharba bypolls owing to the HS examinations till 9 April has left the political parties in a lurch.The order has caused the political parties to defer their campaigning till 9 April as the administration will allow the political parties to use microphones from 9 April to 10 April. The political parties will not be allowed to use microphones beyond the stipulated period.Though the Trinamul Congress had tried to organise a rally on 9 April for Miss Mamata Banerjee it had to be scheduled for 10 April due to submission of incomplete application to the administration. Meanwhile, the Congress has planned to organise a big election rally on 9 April at Kalambagan in Chanchal where the PCC chief and Union minister for information and broadcasting Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi would be present. The BJP has not announced any rally yet. On the other hand, top district CPIM leaders are busy with work in Tamil Nadu at present but hundreds of cadres have been appointed for door to door campaigning for its candidate Mrs Anjumanara Begam, who was defeated by former MLA Mahabubul Hoque in last Kharba Assembly polls. Mr Asif Mehboob, candidate for the Kharba bypolls and son of former Kharba MLA Mahabubul Hoque is campaigning through road shows and is appealing for votes to enable him to fulfill his father’s dreams of development in the fields of health and education. n sns