WB: Stray clashes & deaths in ?free and fair? LS polls

Three deaths, clashes and allegations of rigging marked what Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee termed as ?free and fair polls? in the state.

Three deaths, clashes and allegations of rigging marked what Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee termed as “free, fair and violence-free polls” in the state. The turnout was on the higher side, with over 70 per cent of the 47.4-million electorate casting their votes.

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“Barring minor and stray incidents of clashes, polling was largely peaceful,” the CM said. He thanked the people, police, administration and the EC and its observers. But the non-Left Opposition alleged the poll process had been subverted by the CPI(M) in connivance with the police and the administration. Two persons were killed in a bomb attack at Domkal in Murshidabad and one died while making a crude bomb at Jamboni in Midnapore West. Over 400 were arrested in poll-related incidents.

The Chief Minister expressed disappointment with the low voter turnout in the MCC and PW strongholds of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. In Purulia, not a single vote was cast in two booths after a boycott call.

Chief Electoral Officer Basudeb Banerjee said polling was “free and peaceful” statewide, with none of the 127 EC Observers filing any adverse reports. Banerjee said repoll may be held in some booths of Malda, Tamluk and Barrackpore LS on May 12. Hoodlums had ransacked these booths and damaged EVMs.