Kolkata: Amidst little violence, the fifth phase of polling saw a huge turnout of voters. Sporadic incidents of violence were seen in almost all 45 constituencies’ right from the commencement of the fifth phase of polling on Saturday.
An individual candidate at Chakdaha was seen carrying firearms in presence of both state police and central forces, however, the candidate later surrendered the gun.
At Kalyani bombs were hurled at BJP Mandal president’s house at the wee hours on Saturday. Following the incident, the BJP cadre along with his family members didn’t go out to vote fearing more violence.
At Baranagar BJP’s celebrity candidate Parno Mitra was seen getting into a verbal brawl after allegedly being heckled in a polling booth.
“In most of the booths, while I visited, the TMC supporters chanted ‘go back’ slogan and also didn’t allow our polling agents to sit inside the booth. The TMC agent after whom an arrest warrant is issued is sitting inside the booth,” claimed the actor-turned-politician.
Nullifying Parno’s claim, TMC candidate Tapas Roy stated that the polling in Baranagar was peaceful and also that Parna tried to get limelight by false claims. The TMC candidate also claimed that breaking the model code of conduct the BJP candidate was moving with 18 convoys along with her.
BJP’s Ranaghat candidate Jagannath Sarker told Free Press Journal that his polling agents and supporters were allegedly heckled by TMC goons and also that the TMC supporters had intimidated voters for voting in favour of the ruling party.
North Bengal’s TMC candidate Gautam Deb claimed that like always the vote in North Bengal was peaceful.
However, till 6 pm the overall polling percentage was 78 percent with Jalpaiguri at 82 percent, Darjeeling at 74 percent, East Burdwan at 82 percent, Nadia recorded 82 percent and North 24 Parganas recorded 75 percent of votes.
It can be recalled that in the last phase five lives were claimed in two separate incidents in Sitalkuchi area of Cooch Behar district. The first three and the fifth phase of polling in West Bengal didn’t claim any lives.
