Bengal panchayat polls: Despite no-contest declaration, 13 AAP nominations

Despite a formal declaration of not contesting in the West Bengal panchayat polls as an expression of solidarity towards Trinamool Congress, as many as 13 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates have filed nominations so far for the different tiers of the rural civic body system in the state.

Of the 13 candidates, nine are for Gram Panchayat level and four for panchayat samiti level.

However, there is not a single nomination for the highest ties of the panchayat system which is Zilla Parishad.

Although the number is negligible compared to the total number of seats in the panchayat system, the development has embarrassed the AAP leadership in West Bengal especially when the earlier non-contest declaration came from the highest leadership of the party.

According to the central observer of AAP for West Bengal, Sanjay Basu, they will approach the West Bengal State Election Commission with the plea that the nominations for these 13 candidates be cancelled following scrutiny as these nominations do not have the endorsement of the party leadership.

"We are a national party and how could anyone file nominations without the endorsement of the party. We will initiate necessary legal action against them. If they are party members strict disciplinary action will be initiated against them" he said.

To recall, immediately after the polling dates for the panchayat elections were announced on June 8, the AAP leadership made a formal announcement that it will not be contesting in the rural civic body polls as an expression of solidarity towards Trinamool Congress.

It was learnt that AAP's state leadership made this announcement following an instruction from the party's national high- command. Now with 13 candidates filing nomination an internal probe has started on how these candidates managed to procure certificates to contest as the party candidate.