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| Edited By: Arghya Roy Chowdhury |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Apr 25, 2016, 08:54 PM IST
Amidst unprecedented security to preempt any violence, polling for the fourth phase of West Bengal Assembly polls which will seal the fate of a number of Trinamool Congress ministers, started on Monday.
West Bengal phase 4 recorded 78.05% turnout. However, the percentage is likely ot go up when the final figures arrive.
Voting was held for 49 seats in North 24 Parganas, Bidhannagar and Howrah district in about 2,500 polling stations from 7 am to 6 pm.
Voters had 345 candidates, including a number of Trinamool ministers like Amit Mitra, Purnendu Basu, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Bratya Basu, Jyotipriyo Mullick and Aroop Roy to choose from.
Out of them, only 40 candidates are women.
The polling was more or less peaceful although isolated cases of violence were reported, with allegations mainly against TMC. CPM candidate Tanmoy Bhattacharya''s car was attacked and he was injured. 4 people have been arrested in the incident. FIR was filed against Rupa Ganguly for hitting a TMC worker.
Following reports of violence in the third phase of polling which left at least one CPI-M worker dead, the Election Commission made unprecedented security arrangements for this phase. Post poll violence saw death of three opposition party leaders.
Also read: West Bengal Elections 2016 Phase 4: Can TMC repeat its past dominating performance?
All eyes were on former state transport and sports minister Madan Mitra, who is contesting from Kamarhati seat in North 24 Parganas district from Alipore jail. Madan Mitra was arrested by CBI in December 2014 in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam case.
State Finance Minister Amit Mitra, who was secretary-general of FICCI before joining politics in the 2011 Assembly polls, is once again in the fray from the Khardaha seat in North 24 Parganas.
Greenhorns in the ring in this phase include former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya's daughter Vaishali and former Bengal cricket captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla - both contesting on TMC tickets.
Shukla is pitted against actress-turned-politician Rupa Ganguly of BJP from North Howrah seat.
TMC won 43 out of the 49 seats in 2011, and has only increased its strength in the last 5 years. The party is expected to win majority of the seats in this phase although the opposition will hope that the recent spate of negative news will hamper chances of Mamata's outfit.
Following are latest updates
CPI(M) leader Surja Kanta Mishra in a press conference praised the election commission for its prompt action. He said that people have largely been able to exercise their democratic rights. Although he bemoaned the violence unleashed allegedly by TMC workers and referred to the case where a 3 year old girl was also roughed up.
Overall the voting was largely peaceful and it can be said that EC passed the test with flying colours. While aberrations were there, few complained that massive rigging took place.
Two CPM candidates were heckled today, of which injury sustained by Tanmoy Bhattacharya is pretty serious.
Rupa Ganguly also attracted ire of EC by getting involved in a hostile jostle.
But this phase of elections has been a big win for the EC. They will hope that the same trend continues in the last two phase.
Two people arrested in the Bijpur incident where a three year old kid of a CPIM leader was beaten up.
Despite mental trauma, the mother of the beaten up girl voted in the election.
There has been allegation of booth jamming and rigging coming from Dum Dum and Salt Lake. Police had to resort to mild lathicharge to bring the situation under control.
Total voting has been 67.28% till 3PM. 67.27% voters in North 24 Pargana and 67.31% in Howrah has exercised their franchise.
The final percentage may well exceed 80.
CPIM candidate Tanmoy Bhattacharya badly injured after shards of glass pierced his hand. 4 people have been arrested in connection to the incident.
The latest voting percentage has come. Till 1 PM, overall turnout has been 52.22%.
52.12% voting in North 24 parganas and 52.43% in Howrah.
In Panchal, TMC camp off has been broken by CRPF agents. They have also lathicharged some of the workers who were allegedly creating chaos and commotion there.
Till 12 clock, 1200 complaints have been filed with EC over alleged electoral malpractices.
A quick response team has been sent by EC to Barrackpore where there is allegations of CPI(M) candidate being heckled by TMC workers.
Overall, as the day is progressing number of complaints are increasing rapidly.
But the voting has been very brisk and so far there has been no major breach of law and order situation.
42.01% percent voting has been registered till 11 am, according to EC sources.
42.37% polling in North 24 Parganas and 41.25% in Howrah. FIR filed against Rupa Ganguly after scuffle with TMC workers.
Left candidate from North Dumdum, Tanmay Bhattacharya allegedly heckled by TMC workers. According to Zee 24 Ghanta, bricks were hurled at Bhattacharya's car. Shards of broken glass injured the Left candidate.
Curiously, as the day is progressing reports of violence are slowly picking up. This is in sharp contrast to the last two phases, where from very early morning such reports were received and gradually tapered off later.
WATCH: BJP Leader Rupa Ganguly pushes a TMC worker outside a polling booth in Howrah #WestBengalPollshttps://t.co/epcCtkCc4d
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
As we reported earlier, Rupa Ganguly was involved in a heated war of words with TMC workers. Here footage shows she lost her cool and pushed a TMC worker.
CPM candidate Debashish Bhoumik allegedly hecked in Barrackpore. According to the candidate, his ID card was snatched away and he was beaten up by TMC workers. Left supporters were also assaulted.
Overall polling percentage recorded in first two hours of 4th phase of #WestBengal assembly election is 21.69%.
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
22.63% voting in North 24 Pargana and 20.34% votes in Howrah so far.
In Halisahar constituency, crude bomb blast. Allegations against TMC.
In Minakha, EC has acted against the presiding officer in one of the booths for allegedly working closely with TMC workers.
Rupa Ganguly has alleged that TMC is resorting to booth jamming to rig votes. There has been considerable bad blood between TMC and BJP in the past. Rupa Ganguly has led a high voltage campaign with even PM Modi holding a rally for her. Her main opponent is former India cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla.
TMC supporters show protest in front of actress and BJP candidate Rupa Ganguly.
The official statistics is yet to come but brisk polling so far reported.
CPI(M) worker beaten up in Madhyamgram constituency. Allegations against TMC workers. 1 has been detained by police.
5 detained in New Town for allegedly trying to intimidate CPI(M) workers. There is palpable tension on ground but as of now EC doing a good job to keep situation under control.
There was huge violence in SaltLake last year during the Municipality polls. Hence the apprehension of a repeat of last year lingers. EC has thrown a blanket of security cover in this TMC stronghold so that no untoward incidents happen.
So far barring some sporadic incidents, voting has been largely peaceful. There is huge enthusiasm among the electorates to cast their votes. The security agencies too are doing a stellar job of trying to keep things under control.
Reports of violence coming from Bijpur in North 24 Parganas. An engineering student was allegedly roughed up by TMC workers in front of police. Also, house of a local CPI(M) worker was attacked and family members were beaten up. Even his kid was not spared allegedly.
Voting at a polling stn in Salt Lake,WB delayed over 30mins due to technical prob in EVMs,long queues outside booth pic.twitter.com/6zxLUOsB7U
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
Standing here since 6am in morn,polling didn't start at 7am.Now it has begun but one of EVMs still not working-Voter pic.twitter.com/MfGuxMJkBx
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
Complaints of EVM malfunctioning in one of the booths in Salt Lake, North 24 Praganas.
State Finance Minister Amit Mitra in an interview to Zee 24 Ghanta has rejected all charges of violence. He says that the party will win based on their sound developmental work which has touched people's lives.
Reports of CPI(M) agents not being allowed to enter booths coming from Khardaha, Howrah, Dumdum and Barrackpore. In Khardaha, Left agents have been allegedly beaten up.
After third phase marred by bloody clashes from different constituencies, there is huge apprehension of violence today. Hence the security forces are in high alert to prevent any untoward incidents.
4th phase of #WestBengal assembly election: Polling underway at a polling station in Basirhat. pic.twitter.com/IX74hRATdq
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
People queue up outside a polling station in Howrah as voting begins for 4th phase of #WestBengal election pic.twitter.com/9MtGT5yN58
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
Salt Lake: People wait in long queues to cast their votes in 4th phase of #WestBengal assembly election pic.twitter.com/tYeP7z4vLm
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 25, 2016
Already long queues from the morning as people are looking to beat the massive heat wave and complete the voting process before it gets too hot.
