Agartala: Sporadic violence was seen during the bypolls for four Assembly seats in Tripura on Thursday.
The Trinamool Congress alleged that BJP-backed miscreants stabbed and assaulted voters across constituencies and even pelted stones at a Trinamool candidate.
Slamming the BJP, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said people should know about the ‘violence’ of BJP.
“We have seen in Tripura in the name of elections, they are busy rigging votes. And after the Bengal elections, these same people were crying for NHRC’s intervention. These stories need to be told to the public,” said Mamata.
“From the attack on Trinamool candidate Panna Deb near Indra Nagar to women voters being harassed and obstructed from entering booth no. 49 and 59, BJP workers engaged in violence to facilitate rigging,” said a TMC supporter in Agartala.
Another TMC supporter from Town Bardowali alleged that maximum violence was witnessed at Chief Minister Manik Saha’s constituency in Town Bardowali.
“Under the leadership of corporator Alok Roy hundreds of bikes gathered within 200m of the polling station violating the provisions. BJP Yuva Morcha vice-presidents Vicky Prasad and his goons barred people from entering the polling station,” claimed the TMC supporter.
However, Chief Minister Manik Saha rubbishes TMC's allegations and termed it as ‘baseless’.
While casting his vote the Chief Minister was also ‘confident’ about BJP’s victory in the bypoll.
“I am 100 per cent sure that BJP will win all the four seats based on the good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Chief Minister Biplab Deb. All allegations of TMC are baseless,” mentioned the Chief Minister.
According to a police officer, in Kunjaban area under Agartala constituency, a police constable Samir Saha was stabbed by an unidentified person while he along with his family was going to cast vote.
It can be noted that Manik Saha is not a member of the Assembly and if he has to continue as the Chief Minister then he will have to win the poll. Saha replaced Biplab Deb as the Chief Minister on May 15.
Saha, who is posted at Gandacherra in Dhalai district, has been admitted to a hospital.
At the time of reporting, it was learnt that over two lakh people have given their votes in the bypolls for four Assembly constituencies including Agartala, Town Bardowali, Surma and Jubarajnagar. The counting is scheduled on June 26.
