West Bengal appears to be heading towards a massive turnout in the first phase of voting as the sporadic incidents of violence and clashes continue to emerge from the state. Bengal has recorded around 78.77% voter turnout till 3pm. Tensions have escalated in areas like Murshidabad, Birbhum and South Dinajpur, where the TMC workers clashed with BJP supporters. However, the Central Armed Police Force and local police managed to control the situation and ensure uninterrupted voting.
In Birbhum, tensions erupted after BJP’s Labpur constituency candidate Debashish Ojha’s election agent, Bishwajit Mandal, was allegedly attacked by the TMC workers. “I am an election agent…A few people complained to us that the booth is being captured…On my way back, I was attacked on the road. The booth was 100 metres away. They surrounded me from all sides. There were pieces of glass in my pocket…They destroyed the entire car,” said Mandal.
Mandal claimed that he was visiting the area to inspect the alleged booth capturing by TMC workers. “We received information that alleged Trinamool Congress workers were capturing Booth No. 68 in Bhomor village under Labpur Assembly constituency,” he said.
In another poll-related violence, BJP candidate was manhandled allegedly by TMC workers in South Dinajpur’s Kumarganj. The Election Commission has taken note of the incident and has directed officials and security personnel to immediately arrest those identified in visuals.
Unrest has also been reported in Murshidabad’s Nawada Assembly constituency involving Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP). Kabir is a former TMC leader who shot to the limelight after promising the construction of a Babari mosque in Bengal. Reportedly, a confrontation broke out between Kabir and local Trinamool Congress leaders near a polling booth, with both sides accusing each other of creating disturbances. While rejecting allegations, Kabir accused TMC workers of hooliganism. The AJUP founder asserted that he would remain at the spot until peaceful voting was ensured, while a local resident accused him of attempting to incite unrest.
In another poll-related incident, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul’s car was vandalised allegedly by the TMC workers. Paul is a fashion designer-turned-politician and the BJP candidate from Asansol (Dakshin) Assembly constituency in West Burdwan district.
The poll-related incident comes amid reports of sporadic violence and allegations of booth capturing by TMC workers. While authorities have deployed heavy security across the state, isolated incidents of violence and clashes between political workers continue to surface.
Polling is underway across 152 Assembly constituencies in 16 districts in the first phase of the West Bengal elections. Despite a strong voter turnout in several areas, incidents like these have raised concerns over law and order during the electoral process.
