West Bengal: Violence mars 4th phase of polling, but EC is happy

Hundreds of complaints about poll violence have been submitted to the CEO's office

Babul Supriyo vehicle PTI The SUV of BJP MP Babul Supriyo that was pelted with stones during the polling on Monday in Asansol | PTI

Several incidents of violence were reported in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on Monday, with eight constituencies voting. The clashes erupted between supporters of the Trinamool Congress and BJP in several places in Asansol, Birbhum and Bolpur.

Hundreds of complaints have been submitted to the chief electoral officer's (CEO) office in Kolkata regarding booth capturing, attack on opposition party agents and prevention of voters from casting their votes from several polling booths in these sensitive constituencies in West Bengal.

However, the CEO's office said that the polling was going on peacefully and incidents of violence, which have been reported from several places, were "sporadic" in nature and not the "usual pattern" everywhere.

The outgoing MP of Asansol, Babul Supriyo of the BJP, highlighted eight booths that were either "rigged" or "captured" by the ruling TMC. Supriyo tweeted details of booths that had allegedly been captured by the TMC. Supriyo himself rushed to the spot where violence was reported and stones were pelted on his vehicle. The windowpanes of his car were broken.

At a press conference in Midnapore, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said, "In Birbhum, Asansol and Bolpur, the TMC people kicked out our polling agent and rigged the election. However, at many places, the people resisted."

In Nanoor, considered a stronghold for the TMC, local residents led by women, wielded lathis to disperse TMC workers who tried to prevent them from voting.

In some areas, many voters raised alarm bells and called the Central armed police forces to rescue them.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, alleged that at Dubrajpur in Birbhum district, where TMC strongman, Anubrata Mandal, was putunder surveillance by the Election Commission, Central forces opened fire inside a polling booth.

"How can they do it? Law and order is the responsibility of the state. How dare they do this," said Mamata Banerjee at a rally in Bagda, North 24 Parganas.

Sources in the Election Commission said that it sought a report. Central forces reportedly opened fire as there was pandemonium inside a polling booth over some people using a mobile phone. "Mobile phone is strictly banned inside polling booth," an official said.

The TMC lodged a complaint against Central forces with the Election Commission.

The BJP has also lodged complaint with the Election Commission regarding the use of the Central armed police forces in the fourth phase in West Bengal.

"Though the forces are meant to guard all polling booths, state police did not use them where it was needed. Violence erupted and state police officers remained silent," said Biswapriyo Roychowdhury, vice president of BJP in West Bengal.

Till 1 pm, there was around 55 percent polling across the eight seats of West Bengal, as reported by the special observer in the state, Ajai Naik, who supervised the polling situation, riding a helicopter across the constituencies that went to polls.

"I am more or less happy with the election," said Naik.