Kolkata: Bengal’s rural polls drew towards a bloody finish as 12 people died, bombs exploded and all parties leveled allegations of strong arm tactics against their rivals on Saturday, PTI reported.
Twelve people, including eight from the ruling TMC and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress and ISF died since midnight in the crucial three-tier panchayat polls, officials said.
The election which is being seen by analysts as a litmus test for the 2024 parliamentary elections, also witnessed scenes of ballot boxes being stolen and burnt and of public anger against political workers.
Among flashpoints were Murshidabad, Nadia and Cooch Behar districts besides pockets in South 24 Parganas such as Bhangar and in Purba Medinipur’s Nandigram.
The polling began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates. Till 3 pm, 50.52 per cent voter turnout was recorded, officials said.
Political parties made accusations and counter-accusations as the day lengthened. TMC’s senior minister Sashi Panja said, “Shocking incidents are being reported since last night. BJP, CPI(M) and Congress have colluded.” She also raised questions on the role of the central forces.
Leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, demanded that President’s Rule be imposed in the state and threatened to lead a march to Kalighat where chief minister Mamata Banerjee lives against the violence in the panchayat polls.
“A free and fair election under the state administration is a mirage. It is only possible only if elections are held under President’s Rule or Article 355,” he said. In a statement, TMC however claimed that if the party was behind the violence, “why would their own workers be targeted and killed? The Opposition has conceded defeat and is now attempting to shape the narrative around how violence affected the election”.
It also alleged that there are more than 60,000 booths across West Bengal, however only 60-odd booths have witnessed disruption during the polling process.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Kaustav Bagchi made a representation to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court seeking an urgent hearing of a prayer seeking that Saturday’s panchayat elections in West Bengal be declared null and void on account of violence and killings.
Governor CV Ananda Bose visited different areas in North 24 Parganas district, and met people injured in the violence.
“People requested me to stop my motorcade on the way. There were a lot of tales to tell, they told me about murders happening around them, goons not allowing them to go to polling booths, and also about presiding officers not listening to them. These are stray cases but even one incident of bloodshed should cause concern to all of us,” he told reporters.
“This is the most sacred day for democracy. These are stray incidents but there should be a stop to it,” he added.
Among those killed was BJP’s polling agent Madhab Biswas who was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district, they said.
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