New CPM faces for rural polls

Agartala, June 21 : The Left Front has fielded 70 per cent new faces for the three-tier panchayat election slated to be held in the state on July 20.
CPM spokesperson Gautam Das told reporters here today that the largescale changes had been made on the basis of three criteria — age, performance and reservations of seats. He also said that rotational reservation of seats was behind most of the changes.
Party secretary Bijan Dhar had earlier said persons tainted by corruption would be dropped.
Das said the elections to 5,295 seats across 511 gaon panchayats, 47 seats in village committees, four wards in Belonia and Kailasahar Nagar panchayats and one ward in the Agartala Municipal Council would be held simultaneously. “We have finalised seat-sharing arrangements locally among Front constituents. The final list will be out on Monday,” he added.
He said the Left Front would concede more than 33 per cent seats for women.
Sources said filing of nomination would commence from Monday and end on June 29. The nomination papers will be scutinised on July 1. The last date for withdrawing candidature will be July 3.