Bengal, Assam vote in Phase 1; polling largely peaceful

According to the Election Commission of India, the turnout was 79.79 per cent till 9:19pm in West Bengal and 77 per cent in Assam.

Voters in West Bengal and Assam cast their ballots on Saturday in the first phase of the assembly elections as officials said the poll situation was largely peaceful in both states. According to the Election Commission of India, the turnout was 79.79 per cent till 9:19pm in West Bengal, where a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress are facing each other. In Assam, where the BJP is seeking a second term, turnout was 77 per cent. Officials are yet to do a final compilation of voter turnout.

A woman checks the temperature of a voter before she casts her vote at a polling booth during the first phase of the West Bengal assembly election in Purulia district, (Reuters Photo)

Sporadic incidents of violence in Bengal

Officials said voting was held in 30 seats in West Bengal—several of them part of the once-Naxal-hit Jangalmahal region—amid tight security and strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines, adding that sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various places.

Of the 30 seats that went to the polls in the first phase, nine are in Purulia, four each in Bankura and Jhargram, six in Paschim Medinipur, and seven in the high-stakes Purba Medinipur district. Purba Medinipur recorded the highest turnout at 82.51 per cent, followed by Jhargram at 80.56, Paschim Medinipur at 80.12 per cent, Bankura at 79.90 per cent and Purulia at 77.07 per cent. “By and large, elections were held peacefully," an official said.

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However, violence and scuffle were reported during the polling process in some areas. Voters staged protests outside a polling booth over the alleged malfunctioning of an electronic voting machine (EVM) in the Kanthi Dakshin seat of Purba Medinipur district. Some blocked a road outside a polling station at Majna, claiming that the VVPAT slip showed results in favour of a particular party, no matter which outfit they voted for. A poll official, said according to news agency PTI, that a contingent of central forces was sent to the area to control the situation and the VVPAT machine was eventually replaced.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during a rally in Paschim Medinipur, claimed that the BJP manipulated EVMs and used central forces to intimidate the voters. "Today, in some polling booths of Kanthi, the VVPAT showed that votes were getting polled in favour of the BJP, even as a person pressed the button next to the symbol of some other party. In some areas, central forces were seen threatening voters. The EC must take action," she said.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's younger brother Soumendu claimed he was attacked in Kanthi by TMC supporters. Soumendu alleged his car was vandalised and that his driver sustained injuries in the attack. "I was passing through Kanthi when the TMC supported hurled bricks at my car and smashed its window panes. It seems they have lost their minds, sensing defeat," Soumendu said, according to PTI.

Four people were injured in clashes between workers of the TMC and the BJP in Mohonpur under the Dantan assembly constituency after alleged attempts to capture booths were made by some of them. At Keshiari in Paschim Medinipur, security forces baton-charged locals who staged demonstrations, claiming that votes were being cast only in favour of one party. Protesters blocked an adjoining road later in the day alleging that security forces attacked women during house-to-house raids.

According to the police, a man identified as Mangal Soren was found dead near his home in Begumpur area of Keshiari earlier in the day. BJP leaders claimed that Soren, a supporter, was killed by ‘TMC goons’, a charge denied by the ruling party. The district administration said in its report to the poll body that the death had no connection with the polling process.

The TMC had won 27 of the 30 seats, where polling was held on Saturday, in 2016 and the Left-Congress alliance had won the remaining three.

Heavyweights in fray in Assam

Voting was largely peaceful in all the 47 seats in 11 districts, which went to polls in the first phase of the assembly elections in Assam. A polling officer died reportedly due to cardiac arrest in the Sonari district while voting was on and there were reports of a few EVMs malfunctioning, but they were replaced soon and voting resumed.

The BJP-AGP combine had won 35 of the 47 seats in the last assembly elections in 2016 when the national party came to power for the first time in Assam. The Congress won just seven seats.

As many as 264 candidates, with only 23 women, are in the fray for 47 seats—42 seats from 11 districts of upper Assam and northern Assam region and five seats from central Assam's Nagaon district. Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, state Congress president Ripun Bora, president of ruling Asom Gana Parishad Atul Bora, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi and Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi are in the fray in the first phase. Congress legislature party Debabrata Saikia, assembly speaker BJP’s Hitendra Nath Goswami, former minister and Congress leader Rakibul Hussain and the BJP’s Angoorlata Deka were also in the fray in this phase.

Rupohihat constituency witnessed the highest voting percentage at 83 per cent and Sootea constituency saw the lowest voting percentage at 64 per cent, ANI reported citing the latest trends. Bokakhat district reported the highest voter turnout at 80 per cent while Nazira reported the lowest voter turnout at 64 per cent, ANI added.

In West Bengal, the seven remaining phases will be held between April 1 and April 29. Polling for the next two phases in Assam will be held on April 1 and April 6. Votes will be counted on May 2.