Voting for the second phase of elections in Assam and West Bengal began early morning at 7 on Thursday. In Bengal, Nandigram is a pivotal voting high-profile seat where voters will decide the fate of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP Suvendu Adhikari.
While on one side, the ITBP troops guard (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) posted at booths lend out a helping hand to senior citizens in Tamluk, East Medinipur, during the second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls, on the other side, elections in Bengal, in particular, have turned murky and violent in many places.
The heavily armed CRPF posted in all polling booths have failed to keep things in order in Bengal. Presently the TMC lodged a complaint with Election Commission alleging capturing of 8 booths by BJP workers in Moyna constituency.
The complaint stated that “BJP workers are attempting to take control of EVM and are rigging the booth. CRPF deployed at the booth is not taking any action.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee complained to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over the phone, “They didn’t allow the local people to cast their vote. From morning I am campaigning…Now I am appealing to you, please see…,” ANI has shared that video.
The Chief Minister also said, “Have lodged 63 poll-related complaints since morning, no action by Election Commission,” quoted by PTI.
Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien has written to the Election Commission stating, “Huge mob of BJP workers has entered booth no.s 6, 7, 49, 27, 162, 21, 26, 13, 262, 256, 163, 20. BJP workers attempting to take control of EVM & rigging the booth.”
Trinamool and BJP are contesting in all the 30 seats, while CPI(M) is contesting in 15, and its alliance partners of Sanjukta Morcha the Congress, and ISF are competing in 13 and two seats respectively.
The BJP is contesting in 39 of the 47 seats while its alliance partner the AGP in 10. Congress is contesting in 43 seats and its allies AIUDF, RJD, Anchalik Gana Morcha (as an independent) and CPI-ML in one seat each.
In Assam, there is 73.03 percent voter turnout recorded till 5 pm. The Congress today claimed that its Mahajot candidate from Tamulpur constituency is missing and it asked the ruling BJP to answer about his whereabouts.
The Congress said, “Congress-led Mahajot candidate from Tamulpur constituency, Rangja Basumatary of Bodoland People’s Front was made to disappear. It’s the Assam government and BJP’s responsibility to answer where he is.”
Both Bengal and Assam are in a feisty neck in neck contest and all eyes are on both states on this very powerful decisive election