Amidst sporadic skirmishes, Bengal recorded 73.5 per cent turnout on Sunday in the seventh and final phase Lok Sabha election to nine Parliamentary seats of Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin and Kolkata Uttar in Bengal.
Barring a few minor incidents of violence, the polling passed off by and large peacefully.
The fate of 111 candidates are in the hands of 1,49, 63,143 electorate.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerje hit out at the BJP and central forces for “torturing” Bengal.
After casting her vote, Ms Banerjee lashed out at the BJP and central security forces for “torturing” West Bengal.
“I have never seen anything like this before,” she commented.
In all the nine Lok Sabha seats went to the final phase polling today in Bengal.
Tension ran high at Sashan in North 24-Parganas after villagers clashed with paramilitary jawans. There are allegations that jawans were threatening locals to cast their votes for BJP.
One of the villagers, who was allegedly thrashed by the forces, suffered multiple fractures. His mother then attacked a police convoy with stones out of anger. At the height of violence, polling was momentarily suspended, but resumed later.
Amid the violence that has gripped the state of West Bengal, ruling party Trinamool Congress’ party office has been set on fire at Bhatpara. The area is known to be the stronghold of BJP leader Arjun Singh.
Earlier in the day, crude bombs and bricks were allegedly hurled at TMC’s assembly bypoll candidate from Bhatpara, Madan Mitra’s car in Kankinara’s Katapukur area of North 24 Parganas.
Trinamool Congress MP and Barasat Candidate Kakoli Ghosh sat on a dharna outside New Town police station. She has stated that Central forces are intimidating voters and chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans.
However, the BJP urged the Election Commission to order the presence of central armed police forces in West Bengal till the Model Code of Conduct period ends, as it expressed concern that the state’s ruling TMC may target a section of voters after polling is over.
BJP leader and Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters that elections in six of the nine seats, which have undergone elections on Sunday, were marred by violence.
