During the 3rd phase of West Bengal State Legislative polls on Tuesday (April 6), the BJP has alleged that people were stopped from casting their votes by hooligans associated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The incident took place in Booth numbers 143, 180 in Dagira village in Basul Danga Gram Panchayat that falls under the Diamond Harbour Vidhan Sabha constituency in South 24 Parganas. BJP candidate Dipak Haldar has now filed a complaint with the Election Commission in this regard.
#WestBengalPolls | TMC goons are not allowing people to cast their votes at booth no. 180, 143 Dagira Baduldanga. I have complained to the Election Commission officials: Dipak Haldar, BJP candidate from Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas pic.twitter.com/ZFBGH0BfLa
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
BJP agents stopped from entering polling booths in Tarakeswar, Baruipur Purba constituencies
A BJP agent was also stopped from entering the booth in the Tarakeswar Vidhan Sabha constituency in Hooghly district. When the candidate from the said constituency Swapan Das Gupta reached the Jamdara Sree Bharati Vidyapeeth school, he found that the BJP agent was not inside the booth. According to News 18 Bangla, the BJP worker confided to Gupta that he was being intimidated for over a week. He also complained about receiving death threats.
Following this, Swapan Das Gupta held the agent’s hand and took him inside the booth. While speaking about the matter, the former Rajya Sabha MP said, “Amader agent ke dhukta dai ni. Amader agent kunu karona dhukta para ni. Setai ami dekhchi (Our agent was stopped from getting inside the booth. Our agent could not reach the booth for some reason. I am looking into it).” BJP candidate from Baruipur Purba constituency, Chandan Mandal, has also levelled serious allegations. He said that the party agents were stopped from entering 8 election booths.
BJP worker’s mother succumbs to injuries
ABP Ananda reported that a clash broke out between the Trinamool Congress and BJP workers on Monday (April 5) night in Goghata in Hoogly district. On receiving information, the police reached the spot and detained two accused. An official complaint was, however, not filed in this matter.
Later in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the mother of a BJP worker who was injured in the attack died. The local BJP unit has said that the deceased sustained injuries while trying to save her son from the hands of Trinamool Congress workers. They alleged that she died due to the injuries inflicted during the attack. However, a preliminary investigation has found no external injuries.
TMC accuses ISF workers of hurling bombs, intimidating voters
The Trinamool Congress has accused Indian Secular Front (ISF) workers of hurling bombs at them in Ghumri in Canning Purba Vidhan Sabha constituency. The party has alleged that their workers were also physically assaulted by ISF. Following the incident, a large team of security personnel have been deployed the protect the polling booths to ensure free and fair elections.
While speaking about the matter, TMC leader Saokat Molla said, “The bombing took place early morning in the Ghumri area on the directions of ISF-Congress-Left alliance. Issac Molla, a dreadful anti-social element, is behind the attack. Several of our party members have been injured in the attack. They have now been hospitalised. A total of 12-14 bombs were charged at us.”
“This is a pre-planned attack. The objective is to instil fear into the minds of people so that they do not cast their votes,” he added. Molla emphasised that the Election Commission (EC) has been notified about the incident. He had also accused the ISF workers of hurling bombs at the houses of voters.
The elections for the 3rd phase of West Bengal State Legislative polls are underway. A total of 31 constituencies including Baruipur Purba (SC), Canning Paschim (SC), Canning Purba, Baruipur Paschim, Diamond Harbour, Uluberia Uttar (SC), Uluberia Dakshin, Tarakeswar, Arambag (SC) and Goghat (SC) are up for polls today. There are a total of 10,871 polling stations and 78.52 lac electorates are eligible to cast their votes. The results will be announced on May 2.
