West Bengal witnessed political violence once again on Friday as Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri seats went to polls in Phase 1 of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
Both BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused each other of hurting their poll agents and workers and disrupting the electoral process in the state.
As of 9am, over 15 per cent of the 56.26 lakh voters in the three Lok Sabha constituencies had exercised their franchise, an Election Commission official said. “Till 9 am, voter turnout in Cooch Behar is 15.26 per cent while that in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri is 15.91 per cent and 14.13 per cent respectively,” the official said.
BJP Alleges
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is trying to better its performance in the state, alleged that TMC workers had pelted stones in Cooch Behar’s Chandamari area due to which the saffron party’s booth president suffered injuries.
In the heart of Coochbehar Natabari, where the quiet hum of democracy should reign, darkness descended like a shroud last night.Amidst the flickering lights of Booth No. 175, nestled within the Pani Shala area, a scene of horror unfolded. Mustafa Ali, entrusted with the solemn… pic.twitter.com/MWppejKPra
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) April 19, 2024
It also alleged that their polling agent Biswanath Paul had been kidnapped from a poll booth by TMC workers, though the BDO, in its report to the Election Commission, said Paul had gone home to collect the voter’s list and was back on duty.
BJP workers also claimed they were attacked in Natabari and injured cadre were admitted to Tufhangunj hospital in Cooch Behar. Apart from this, the saffron party claimed that houses of BJP Karyakartas were destroyed by TMC. The party also said that stone pelting by TMC workers in Chandamari to prevent voters from exercising their franchise led to BJP’s booth president suffering injuries.
TMC’s Counter-Claims
The ruling TMC too accused the BJP of orchestrating violence in the state, with the Mamata Banerjee-led party alleging that Union minister and BJP leader Nisith Pramanik was using his position to store arms in his office. They have also written a letter to the Election Commission in this regard.
The party also said BJP supporters had assaulted a TMC polling agent in Alipurduar apart from setting on fire a temporary election office in the Harirhat area of Barokodali-I gram panchayat in Tufanganj-II block. TMC alleged that AITC Block President, Bhetaguri, Anant Barman was brutally assaulted by BJP workers and is currently undergoing treatment in hospital. They also said BJP leaders Ratan Burman, Ajeet Mahanto and Hiren Mahanto hurled bombs and attacked AITC booth agents, triggering violence.
At Alipurduar, @BJP4Bengal thugs plunged to despicable depths!They brandished weapons, instilled terror among locals, and assaulted our polling agents from the booth 226 and 227, all while the spineless Central forces stood idly by, complicit in their silence.
Such blatant…
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 19, 2024
Till now, TMC has raised 21 complaints to the EC against the BJP.
PHASE-1 MATH
All three seats in Phase-1 are reserved, with Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri for SCs and Alipurduar for STs. A total of 37 candidates, including Pramanik, are in the fray in the three constituencies. Voting began at 7am and will continue till 6pm.
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