The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
BJP alleges bogus voting, intimidation in Bengal bypoll, EC seeks report
AS FOUR Assembly constituencies in West Bengal went to bypoll on Wednesday, the Opposition BJP filed nearly 100 complaints alleging violence, intimidation and bogus voting by the ruling TMC, prompting the Election Commission to seek an action taken report from the state Chief Electoral Officer.
The Trinamool Congress ( TMC), however, dismissed the charges, calling them “baseless”.
Till 5 pm, Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur witnessed the highest turnout at 67.12 per cent, followed by Ranaghat Dakshin ( Nadia) at 65.37 per cent, Bagdah ( North 24 Parganas) at 65.15 per cent, and Maniktala in Kolkata at 51.39 per cent.
With nearly 10 lakh voters in the four Assembly segments, the EC had deployed around 70 companies of Central Armed Police Forces ( CAPF) to secure 1,097 polling booths.
In Maniktala, BJP candidate Kalyan Chaubey demanded repoll in 89 booths, alleging booth capture. He said he might move the Calcutta High Court seeking free and fair election.
BJP’S North Kolkata district unit chief Tamoghna Ghosh pointed fingers at the Central force, alleging that they did not swing into action. “We could not see Central forces in action today. They were made inactive by the state police. We expect a more proactive role from the Central forces,” said Ghosh.
While Choubey was greeted with ‘ go back’ slogan by TMC workers when he visited a booth in Maniktala, BJP’S Ranaghat Dakshin candidate Manoj Kumar Biswas and Bagdah nominee Binay Kumar Biswas alleged that they were not allowed to visit some of the booths and his vehicle was vandalised by TMC supporters. “I was stopped from visiting booths after I got complaints that our party workers were being beaten up by TMC goons,” said Biswas.