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Phase 3: TMC, BJP continue to accuse each other of polling malpractices
Clashes and allegations of malpractices also marred the second phase of elections in West Bengal on April 1 as Mamata Banerjee threatened to move court over alleged irregularities, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hit back
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged “blatant misuse” of central forces to “influence voters” as ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its main challenger, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), again accused each of malpractices during the third phase of polling for 31 seats in the state.
In a tweet, Banerjee shared a screengrab of a scuffle between BJP and TMC supporters in Goghat. “The blatant misuse of Central forces continues unabated. Despite us repeatedly raising this issue, @ECISVEEP continues to be a mute spectator while men in uniform are being misused at several places to openly intimidate TMC voters & influence many to vote in favour of one party.”
Clashes and allegations of malpractices also marred the second phase of elections in West Bengal on April 1 as Banerjee threatened to move court over alleged irregularities, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hit back. Modi said Banerjee was nervous about losing Nandigram, which went to the polls on April 1 and where the chief minister contested against her former aide-turned-BJP-candidate Suvendu Adhikari.
Also Read | West Bengal: BJP worker’s mother allegedly killed by TMC in Hooghly’s Goghat
Banerjee spent the second phase crisscrossing Nandigram. She visited a polling booth in Boyal and criticised the EC for alleged inaction over complaints of rigging. She also alleged that central forces were intimidating voters and backing BJP candidates. As she spoke, TMC and BJP workers faced off outside and hurled bricks and traded abuses. Banerjee called Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar to complain. A police contingent was rushed to Boyal where Banerjee was finally escorted out around one-and-a-half hours later.
On Tuesday, Dipak Haldar, the BJP candidate from Diamond Harbour, accused TMC of preventing voters from getting into polling stations. “TMC men are not allowing BJP supporters to come out and vote freely, and unfortunately, the central forces are mute spectators,” said Haldar, who is among those who defected to BJP from TMC in the runup to the polls.
TMC dismissed the allegations as “baseless”.
Minister Asima Patra accused the central forces of high-handedness and alleged “BJP goons” stopped voters from coming to the polling stations in Dhanekhali.
BJP activists allegedly assaulted TMC candidate Najmul Karim in Khanakul before central forces rescued him. In Arambagh, BJP workers allegedly threatened TMC supporters.
Madhabi Adak, a BJP supporter’s mother, was allegedly killed in Hooghly district hours before the commencement of polling in the area. She succumbed to her injuries sustained while protecting her son after a group of men barged into their house and attacked him. Adak’s family accused TMC of the assault.
The EC suspended a polling officer in Howrah’s Uluberia after four spare Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were allegedly found at a TMC’s leader’s house, an official of the election watchdog said.
The EC official did not name the leader. But Chiran Bera, BJP’s candidate from Uluberia Uttar, claimed the machines were found at the residence of Goutam Ghosh, who is a TMC booth president. “A few villagers saw two vehicles outside the leader’s [Ghosh] house and inquired. When they came to know that the sector officer has come [with the machines], they informed me,” said Bera.
Nirmal Maji, TMC candidate from the area, did not take calls for a response. HT also reached out to other TMC leaders for a reaction but did not get any immediately.
The EC official said the suspended sector officer had gone to the leader’s house, who is his relative, to sleepover along with the machines.
After the matter came to light, villagers staged a protest in the area. A police contingent was sent to the spot to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
“We have suspended the sector officer. The EVMs and VVPAT machines, which were recovered, were kept as reserve,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
The official added the machines have been withdrawn from the poll process and replaced by new ones. “All the political parties have been informed. Action is also likely to be taken against police personnel.”
Howrah is among the districts where the polling is underway. Elections have been staggered in West Bengal over eight phases.
Over 7.8 million voters are eligible to vote and 205 candidates, including BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta and state minister Ashima Patra, are contesting the third phase of the elections.
The EC has imposed restrictions on the assembly of over four people across all the constituencies going to the polls in the third phase and declared them sensitive.
A 34.71% turnout was recorded till 11 am as the voting was underway with adherence to Covid-19 protocols.
Over 80% of the eligible voters voted in the second phase and 79.8% in the first. Results for the 294-seat assembly will be declared on May 2.
The BJP, which emerged as the second-biggest party in West Bengal in the 2019 national polls, is hoping to wrest power for the first time in the state. TMC is hoping to get a third straight term.
