Officials issue identity cards to members for the Tata Workers Union elections to be held on Friday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, May 11: Promises and mudslinging reached a crescendo as campaigning for the Tata Workers? Union elections hit its last lap today.

R.B.B. Singh, the present chief of the TWU, promised the Tata Steel employees loans with easy instalment facilities for an apartment in the city.

Moreover, he added, he would also ensure the elimination of contract workers from permanent jobs in the company. Instead, priority would be given to the wards of the employees, whose names have been registered with the company, he further said.

TWU leader of the opposition and president-designate Raghunath Pandey also promised a bounty of sops for the workers if he and his group is voted to power.

Pandey said he would take up the issues of implementation of night allowances, conveyance allowances and point-by-point incentive bonus, which have been stopped for the past two decades, with the management.

Pandey added that once in power he would ensure that both the union and the management attend the National Joint Committee on Steel (NJCS) meetings, which both the parties have been giving amiss since 2004.

He, however, seemed unperturbed with the allegations that R.B.B. Singh have been levelling against him. Pandey, instead, challenged him with his own contentions.

The opposition leader claimed that Singh?s charges that he had allegedly withdrawn Rs 50,000 from the union account was unfounded and maintained that the money is still in the bank with not a single paisa being spent.

?The fact that the money is still in the bank has been mentioned in the minutes of the meeting held on December 27, 2004,? he said, adding that he was ready to face a CBI enquiry on the allegations made by Singh.

The RBB camp, on the other hand, held Pandey?s faction responsible for the de-registration of TWU.

?It?s unfortunate that the opposition camp moved to the labour commissioner prior to the January, 2005 polls. If they were not happy with the poll preparations, why did they not refrain themselves from taking part in the polls last year?? asked Singh.

Meanwhile, the district administration, which will be supervising the polls, has completed the necessary formalities to hold the elections ? both of supervisor?s and worker's unit ? in a free and fair manner.

The ballot boxes were despatched to all the 214 constituencies (departments) where the elections will be held tomorrow.

Around 16,000 employees from the steel major will be taking part in tomorrow?s elections.