CPI-M's political bankruptcy exposed, says Mamata

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that a 'politically bankrupt' Communist Party of India-Marxist was mounting attacks on her party candidates and workers.

"Fearing defeat in the hustings, CPI-M has been creating terror in the state. My appeal to all Trinamool workers is to maintain cool and lodge protest politically," Banerjee said in an SMS message.

Asking party workers not to be provoked by CPI-M's 'violent instigation,' she said, "People will give a fitting reply to CPI-M in the coming elections."

Banerjee's appeal comes a day after she led a padayatra of thousands of people at the CPI-M stronghold of Jamuria in Burdwan district where Rabin Kazi, a Trinamool minority cell leader, was crushed to death under the wheels of a car by alleged coal mafia on Monday.

The attackers also assaulted Trinamool Congress candidate for the Jamuria assembly constituency, whom Kazi tried to save, while he was returning after campaigning for the state assembly elections at Barui village.

The Trinamool supremo earlier at a rally claimed that the violence was a result of panic within the CPI-M leadership.

"How brutal can people be to deliberately crush somebody under the wheels of a car?"

An assistant sub-inspector of police Asit Mandal was suspended in connection with the killing and departmental proceedings were drawn up against him.