NEW DELHI: The first phase of high-stakes assembly elections in West Bengal was marred with violence, allegations of voter intimidation and technical glitches.On the eve of polling day, crude bombs were allegedly hurled in Murshidabad, injuring at least one person.The victim told news agency ANI, “I had stepped out yesterday to offer Namaz at around 8 pm. I was standing… two boys came and threw a bomb near my foot. Humayun Kabir‘s party workers have done this.”Scuffle breaks out between TMC and AUJP workersThe situation escalated hours after the polling began in Murshidabad as clash broke out between Trinamool Congress and Aam Janata Unnayan Party workers. According to ANI, TMC workers raised slogans and entered into an altercation with police upon the arrival of AUJP Humayun Kabir.The supporters used lathis to attack each other, pelted stones and damaged the vehicles standing on the side of the road.Security personnel were deployed to control the situation as tensions escalated between party workers and police during the polling process. The police were forced to use mild lathicharge to dispel some of the crowd, but denied that the situation was out of hand.ASP Majid Khan said, “The situation is peaceful. Nothing has happened anywhere…”Humayun Kabir’s sit-in protestMeanwhile, Humayun Kabir organised a sit-in protest, alleging that a police officer lathi-charged his supporters in the night and demanded the removal of the officer.He also urged EC to take action against the TMC workers involved in the clash today.“We want the Nowda police officer who lathi-charged my supporters overnight. This should not be done. The Election Commission should take action on them… A new officer should be posted there. Until then, I will keep sitting here in protest… My people are being hit and threatened. This should not happen. Election Commission should take action against the TMC workers who did all this,” Humayun Kabir said.Meanwhile, the Election Commission has sought a report from DM/DEO on the tensions in the Nowda tension.BJP candidate beaten up in DinajpurBharatiya Janata Party candidate Subhendu Sarkar was allegedly beaten up by TMC workers in Dakshin Dinajpur. In a video, Sarkar was seen chased by TMC workers while cops rescuing him.BJP candidate from Kumarganj, Subhendu Sarkar said, “In the Kumarganj Assembly constituency, our polling agents in 8-10 polling stations were forcibly removed. I personally intervened and ensured they were allowed back inside. When I visited Booth No. 24 to inspect the situation on the ground, they launched an attack on my entire team and me; they were clearly intent on creating an atmosphere of intimidation and fear... Central Forces were present at the polling station itself—they were inside the premises.”“But when I arrived on the scene, I was accompanied only by my bodyguard; there was no one else with us. Mamata Banerjee has lost the election, and Trinamool Congress are losing all four seats in this region. Out of sheer desperation and fear, they launched an attack on us,” he added.EVM glitchesEVM glitches also disrupted voting at Murshidabad. According to officials, polling was halted at booth number 156 in Parsalika Madanmohan Primary School in the Beldanga assembly segment after an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) developed a snag, they said.At booth number 212 in the Samsherganj assembly constituency, voting did not begin on time because of similar issues. Polling was also delayed at booth number 130 in Kandi, officials added.In Purba Medinipur, an EVM malfunction was reported in Birulia of the Nandigram assembly constituency.In Cooch Behar, voting at booth number 229 in Town High School was suspended for nearly an hour before resuming. Polling was also delayed at booth number 231 in Malda district’s Habibpur constituency.In Siliguri in Darjeeling district, polling could not start on time at booth number 26/31 in Margaret School because of a faulty EVM.Amid the polling process, an elephant roaming near a booth in Jhargram district triggered panic among voters. The animal was spotted outside Jitushol Aanshik Buniyadi Vidyalaya polling station.Voter intimidation in Nandigram?Meanwhile, the TMC accused the police of working in favour of the BJP in Nandigram. On the other hand, leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that goons backed by the ruling party were threatening people in the area as voting was underway in the first phase of West Bengal assembly polls.Addressing a press conference, state minister Shashi Panja alleged that police personnel deployed in Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district were acting in favour of the BJP.She said a TMC delegation met Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal and lodged a formal complaint, seeking the removal of two police officers from poll duty.“The presence of these officers is raising serious concerns about the neutrality in the polling process,” she claimed.The BJP rejected the allegations, with Adhikari alleging that “TMC-sheltered goons” were threatening voters.“Murder accused Sheikh Sahabuddin is roaming in the area freely. He is visiting booths where Hindu voters are in the majority and threatening them. I am visiting those booths to reassure the voters,” he told reporters before rushing to one of the booths.“I am not here for Hindu-Muslim polarisation. I am here to fight criminals and stop them. The criminals here are TMC leaders belonging to a particular community,” he alleged.West Bengal is witnessing a high-voltage contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress, which is seeking a fourth consecutive term, and the BJP, which is aiming to form the government after a strong showing in the previous elections.Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP, which secured 77 seats in the previous election, is making a renewed push to form the government in the state.In West Bengal, the parties are contesting against one another for 294 Assembly seats. As per the Election Commission of India (ECI), the first phase covers 152 Assembly constituencies, while the second phase includes 142 seats. There are a total of 1,478 candidates in the fray in this phase.
