Opposition alleges vote loot by ruling TMC govt in the state.
Spate of violence marked election at the seven municipal elections held in West Bengal on Sunday. Ruling party workers were caught on camera hurling bombs, going around with firearms, beating up voters and intimidating police and poll officers. Pictures of many damaged EVMs were also televised throughout the day.
Till 5 pm, the poll per cent at various municipalities were, Darjeeling – 52, Kurseong – 66.1, Mirik – 74.3, Kalimpong – 58.1, Raiganj – 66, Domkal – 77.5 and Pujali – 79.6. The incidents of violence had left voters and local residents terror-struck, presiding officers hid inside washrooms, police officers ran for their lives and political leaders cried foul. Even media persons at some places were attacked.
Protesting against the violence, Congress withdrew all its candidates at the 10 wards which it was fighting, out of 21 in Domkal, Murshidabad district. BJP followed suit at Raniganj in North Dinajpore district. At Pujali in South 24 district, voters clashed with police personnel alleging inaction against booth capturing.
Masked bike-borne goons carrying arms and bombs were seeing doing the rounds at all the three places and violence was reported within two hours of the beginning of the poll process. Political experts said that the ruling TMC was apprehensive about the growing popularity of BJP in the state and had left nothing to chance. Comparatively, polling was peaceful at the four municipal areas in the hills. State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said, “It was vote looting in the name of voting and in an atmosphere of such wide-spread terror, there was no way a fair election can be conducted.”
CPIM state secretary Dr Surjyakanta Mishra said that there would be a massive march to Nabanna, the state secretariat, on May 22 and urged the common people to join the protest. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh blamed the State Election Commission saying, “The State Election Commission has become Mamata Commission.”
Roshan Giri, chief of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) said he was confident of winning all four municipalities of the hills in spite of the TMC trying all strategies to make inroads in the hills. Interestingly, TMC leader Soumik Hossain from Domkal said polling had been peaceful and senior TMC leader and state Education Minister Dr Partha Chatterjee alleged that it was the Opposition which was responsible for the violence. “The Opposition parties – Congress, CPIM and BJP – have unitedly tried to disturb peace. As far as the hills are concerned, let the results come, we will see.
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