The car of Somendu Adhikari, brother of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, the first phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly Elections. Somendu Adhikari has blamed the Trinamool Congress for the vandalism of his car. The incident reportedly occurred at Kanthi South.
The car of Soumendu Adhikari (Suvendu Adhikari’s brother) has been vandalized in Kanthi South, West Bengal.@payalmehta100 with details while BJP West Bengal In-charge, Kailash Vijayvargiya (@KailashOnline) with his views.
— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 27, 2021
Join the broadcast with @AnchorAnandN. pic.twitter.com/TmuejcC7dw
Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said that goons from the minority community were responsible for the actions. The driver of the car was reportedly beaten. However, he emphasised that compared to other elections, polling on Saturday was much more peaceful.
Suvendu’s brother Somendu said that some karyakartas were brutally assaulted before the TMC proceeded to vandalise the car. He said that the mob was led by Ram Govind Das. Das is said to be the Block President of the area.
The driver, Gopal Singh, said that he was beaten with stones. Visuals of his injuries makes it abundantly clear that he was terribly assaulted. Kanthi South is an assembly constituency in the East Medinipur district of the state.
शुभेंदु अधिकारी के भाई सोमेंदु की गाड़ी पर हमला#BengalElections2021 | #AssemblyElections2021 | #SuvenduAdhikari | #BJP | #TMC | #CarAttacked | #WestBengal | @upadhyayabhii pic.twitter.com/JpMF7MU90y
— TV9 Bharatvarsh (@TV9Bharatvarsh) March 27, 2021
“Under the leadership of TMC block president Ram Govind Das and his wife, poll rigging was underway at three polling booths. My arrival here created problem for them to continue with their mischiefs. So they attacked my car and thrashed my driver,” said Somendu.
Somendu Adhikari has been speaking out against the Nandigram Police and TMC of indulging in unfair electoral practices. On Friday, Suvendu Adhikari wrote to the Election Commission requesting suspension of Haldia Additional SP Partha Ghosh, Haldia SDPO Barunbaidya and others accusing them of malpractice.
Somendu said on Saturday, “He later went there again and met people. We approached the EC that there should be free and fair polls. People will choose whom they want. TMC is scared. We have given the name of one Alauddin to the EC, he creates disturbance there.”
“Voters being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149. Overall polling being held peacefully. EVMs malfunctioning at some locations, it happens in all polls, EC is looking into it,” he said.
