Mamata's prestige battle: Voting in Bhabanipur by-poll amid tight security

Voting for the crucial bypoll on Bhabanipur constituency of West Bengal is underway. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in direct contest with BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal from Bhabanipur. Mamata had begun her political journey from Bhabanipur and the bypoll contest is a must win for her. To secure her chief ministerial seat, Mamata will have to emerge as victorious from Bhabanipur & return to assembly. Mamata Banerjee's win from Bhabanipur would also be a stamp on her clout in the constituency. Mamata had won bypoll from Bhabanipur in 2011 & retained the seat in 2016 assembly elections. In last assembly elections, TMC's Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay won from Bhabanipur, but vacated it for Mamata's contest. Violence erupted in Bhabanipur on sep 27 after BJP's Dilip Ghosh was allegedly heckled by TMC workers. Ghosh's security guards had to brandish guns to keep the mob at bay in the area. While the polling is taking place today, results for the bypoll will be declared on October 5.