Polling for the first of the eight-phase assembly polls in West Bengal began at 7 am on Saturday with voters deciding the fate of 191 candidates in 30 constituencies. The polling will end at 6.30 pm.
According to reports, ahead of voting, two security personnel were injured in a firing incident at Satsatmal in Bhagwanpur assembly constituency of East Midnapore.
Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader and brother of Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday told ANI that voters are being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149. He also said that EVM malfunctioning is being witnessed at some locations, adding that the Election Commission is looking into it.
He later went there again & met people. We approached EC that there should be free & fair polls. People will choose whom they want. TMC is scared. We’ve given name of one Alauddin to EC, he creates disturbance there: Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader & brother of Suvendu Adhikari pic.twitter.com/jPfMcGM37Q
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2021
In a veiled attack at BJP candidate in Nandigram Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien on Saturday said “Bengal’s daughter (CM Mamata Banerjee) will defeat Bengal’s traitor in Nandigram Assembly seat.
Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, ” TMC will win Bengal. Bengal’s daughter will defeat Bengal’s traitor in his own backyard at Nandigram. Members of tourist gang will continue to do what they do best – try and destroy every institution in India.”
He has also written to Election Commission, saying, “Voter turnout for ACs Kanthi Dakshin (216)&Kanthi Uttar (213) at 9:13 am was 18.47%&18.95% respectively, 4 mins later at 9:17 am voter turnout reduced to 10.60%&9:40%. Such discrepancy raises question on the genuineness of data issued by EC. ”
Meanwhile, reacting to TMC allegations of rigging of polls, BJP West Bengal Pres Dilip Ghosh said, “TMC knows that it is losing & that’s why it is saying all this. For such complaints, TMC should go to the Election Commission. TMC & Mamata Banerjee are under pressure and that is why they are saying such things.”
All constituencies in Purulia, Jhargram and segments of Bankura, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur are going to decide the electoral fate of 191 candidates, including 21 women.
The state is witnessing a triangular contest this time with Trinamool Congress (TMC), Congress-Left alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the fray.
As many as 730 coys of central forces, including 92 for Bankura, 169 for Purba Medinipur, 139 for Paschim Medinipur, 186 for Purulia and 144 for Jhargram have been deployed for this phase.
Further, there are 10,288 Control Units, 10,288 Ballot Units and 10,288 voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPATs). The EC has also made arrangements for 2,560 reserved Control Units, 2,787 reserved Ballot Units and 3,492 reserved VVPATs.