E-Paper
Mamata alleges targeting of TMC leaders, workers as Bengal votes in 2nd poll phase
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said central forces arrived at the residence of a municipal councillor in Kolkata around 2am and threatened him
Polling was underway for 142 of 294 seats across eight districts in the second and last phase of the West Bengal assembly elections on Wednesday, with no reports of any major untoward incident, even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused police officers from other states posted as observers of targeting Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and workers.
Banerjee hoped for peaceful polling. “We want the voting to be held peacefully so that the people can exercise their rights.” She accused observers from other states of resorting to atrocities on Tuesday night. “I had to stay awake the whole night. They are mounting pressure on the local police stations to arrest TMC workers.”
She said central forces arrived at the residence of a municipal councillor in Kolkata around 2am and snatched his mobile phone and threatened him. “Our workers are being beaten up,” Banerjee said as she hit the streets in her Bhabanipur constituency. She first visited Chetla, where she alleged that TMC posters were being torn.
All eyes were on Bhabanipur, where chief minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. In 2021, Adhikari defeated Banerjee from Nandigram by 1,956 votes. Adhikari visited a Hanuman temple ahead of the polling.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to vote in record numbers to make democracy more vibrant and participatory. “In particular, it is extremely urgent that the women and youth power of West Bengal turn out in large numbers to exercise their voting rights.”
An average voter turnout of 18.39% was recorded until 9am. Purba Bardhaman registered the highest turnout at 20.86% and Kolkata South the lowest (16.81%).
TMC supporters allegedly attacked a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) agent at Chapra in Nadia. In Hooghly, a scuffle broke out between supporters of TMC and the Indian Secular Front. A BJP camp office was allegedly ransacked at Shantipur in Nadia.
On April 23, polling was held across 152 constituencies in the first phase of the elections, recording 93.19% turnout—the highest ever in any assembly or Lok Sabha election in West Bengal. In the first phase, the voter turnout until 9am was 18.76%. The results will be announced on May 4.
