Last week, around 200 families had to leave their homes after violence broke out in Khejury following the seizure of arms and ammunition from CPM leaders’ houses.

Trinamool MP from Contai and Union Minister of state for Rural Development Sisir Adhikary also assured security to the families who were rendered homeless during the violence.

Adhikary, however, said the five local CPM leaders who were “involved in the killing at Nandigram in 2007” would not be allowed to enter Khejury. These five CPM leaders had hired goons to attack Nandigram on several occasions, so locals will not allow them to stay at Khejury, added Adhikary.

Not convinced with Trinamool’s assurances, CPM district committee member of East Midnapore Ashoke Guria said: “It is difficult to believe the Trinamool as they organise attacks on CPM leaders as well as their family members.”

The Trinamool will force CPM supporters to either join their party or pay money for staying in the villages, he added.

In a related development, Trinamool MP from Tamluk Suvendu Adhikary and other local party leaders met block development officers of Khejury I and Khejury II and requested them to take steps to restore normal functioning of gram panchayats.

Work has come to a halt in nine of the 11 gram panchayats after tension erupted, they said. According to Trinamool leader Ranjit Mondal, these nine panchayats are under CPM’s control. He said the pradhans of these gram panchayats did not attend offices for the last two weeks. As a result, development work was stalled in the area.