Sporadic violence marked the first phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly elections on Saturday.
Till 3 pm, 70.17 per cent of votes were polled. Polling is being held in 30 Assembly constituencies in five districts in the state.
A blood-soaked body of one person claimed by the BJP as one of their workers was found from his residence at the Begampur area of Keshiary Assembly constituency in West Medinipur district. The BJP leadership alleged that the person identified as Mangal Soren was beaten to death by TMC cadres.
“His body was found in his mud hut. The TMC is unleashing terror wherever they are afraid to lose,” said BJP state president Dilip Ghosh. Soren’s mother said that he did not belong to any party.
The Election Commission (EC) has sought a report on the incident.
Even before polling commenced at 7 am, incidents of political violence took place in Potashpur and Khejuri in the East Medinipur district in the wee hours of Saturday. BJP workers alleged that they were assaulted by TMC cadres while the local leadership of the ruling party claimed that one of their booth workers was driven out of the area.
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Later in the day, CPI(M) candidate from Salboni in the West Medinipur district was heckled by TMC cadres near a polling booth. A heated exchange of words took place between both sides and Ghosh left the spot with the help of the police before the situation went out of control.
TMC workers in the Majina area in the Contai South Assembly seat alleged that there was an EVM malfunction in one of the polling booths. Following which polling was halted for about two hours.
A BJP worker was allegedly beaten up by TMC cadres in the Keshiary Assembly constituency in the West Medinipur district and sustained a head injury.
The TMC alleged that in several areas of West Medinipur district the CRPF personnel were obstructing people from voting. They further alleged that in the Garbeta Assembly seat BJP workers barged inside a polling booth.
The TMC also asked how during the day polling percentage suddenly shot up in the state. “What is happening @ECISVEEP?!Could you explain how the voting percentage drastically reduced to half within a gap of just 5 minutes?!Shocking!,” tweeted the TMC.
It further alleged that that many voters in the Contati South Assembly seat claimed that they voted for the TMC but the VVPAT showed BJP’s symbol and urged the Election Commission (EC) to look into it.
“Shocking claim by voters which must be immediately looked into by @ECISVEEP and @CEOWestBengal.Many voters in Kanthi Dakshin assembly seat allege that they voted for TMC but VVPAT showed them the BJP symbol. THIS IS SERIOUS! THIS IS UNPARDONABLE!,” tweeted the TMC.
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BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that "voting has been peaceful in 90% of the booths."