New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- Tollywood witnessed a closely monitored election process on Saturday as the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India went to the polls to elect new leadership for its 16 guilds. Elections were held across four studio floors in Kolkata, with five guilds voting on Saturday and 11 scheduled for Sunday, while seven were elected unopposed. Police deployment and CCTV surveillance were part of the arrangements.
The elections come amid years of allegations of irregularities, pending payments, shooting disruptions, disputes between directors and technicians and an alleged ban culture during the previous TMC regime. Former minister Aroop Biswas's brother, Swarup Biswas, who headed the Federation, had faced allegations of undue influence over the industry.
Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, advisor to the state government with Cabinet Minister rank, supervised the proceedings from outside the voting zone. BJP MLAs Rudranil Ghosh and Papiya Adhikari were also present.
Mithun said he had promised democratic elections after the BJP came to power in Bengal, stressing that it was an election and not a selection. Ghosh described the exercise as the first in Tollywood to be conducted under police security and CCTV surveillance, contrasting it with the earlier SMS-based voting system. He also raised concerns over alleged fake identity cards issued to technicians and artistes and promised greater transparency.
Papiya alleged that several candidates were close to Swarup Biswas and expressed concern that their election could perpetuate existing problems.
She also proposed forming a monitoring team in her Tollygunge constituency to oversee the functioning of the newly elected members.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.