Kolkata, May 3 (PTI) CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra today hit out at the party's renegades and said those who are joining BJP with the hope that they would get "protection" from the ruling TMC are living in a "fool's paradise" as both parties have tacit understanding in the state.

The 17 Left parties in West Bengal led by CPI(M) today began a two-day long sit-in near the Lenin statue at the Esplanade area to protest against the violence during the ongoing panchayat poll process in the state.

"Those who are moving away to BJP thinking that party will provide them protection from TMC are committing a mistake as the two parties are both sides of the same coin," Mishra alleged.

"Those who are thinking that BJP will protect them should know that BJP is busy protecting TMC in Bengal from various scams. The BJP don't have time to protect you," he said addressing the sit-in.

"The violence and terror of TMC won't be able to stop us. The TMC is afraid of people's verdict and that is why it has resorted to violence and wants to muzzle our voice. But our protest cannot be bulldozed by guns and weapons," he said.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose said that TMC is only bothered about winning the polls even if it is at the cost of the democratic rights of the masses.

Several people have died and others have been injured during the filing of nominations for the panchayat polls, he said.

"The TMC is trying to take away the right of the masses to participate in free and fair elections. Our protest programme is againstthis," Bose said.

Last month the nomination filing for the rural polls was marred by violence and clashes between the ruling TMC and opposition parties resulting in the death of four people. PTI

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