Except for a few stray incidents, by-elections in six Assembly constituencies passed off peacefully today.
The by-election was held in six Assembly seats, namely Sitai and Madarihat in north Bengal while Taldangra, Haroa, Medicipur and Naihati in south Bengal. In the 2021 Assembly election only Madarihat was under BJP’s control while the other seats were won by Trinamul Congress.
According to the Election Commission, till 5 pm the total percentage of vote polled was 69.29. Sitai recorded 66.35 per cent vote at 5 pm while the poll percentage in Madarihat was 64.14. In south Bengal, the poll percentage at Naihati, Haroa, Midnapore and Taldangra Assembly constituencies recorded 62.10, 73.95, 71.85 and 75.20 votes.
Around 108 companies of central forces were deployed to maintain law and order along with the state police. In Madarihat, the polling agents of BJP and Trinamul Congress clashed outside a booth. The situation was brought under control by the police. In Midnapore, the wife of a Trinamul Congress leader was beaten up allegedly by some Trinamul supporters. It is alleged that the husband of the councillor had gone to vote in an inebriated state. BJP had lodged 66 complaints, Congress 5, Trinamul Congress 3 and CPM three complaints.
The BJP MP, Shamik Bhattacharya alleged that in many areas their election agents were beaten up by Trinamul goons. He however could not specify the area where such incidents happened.
Trinamul Congress is confident of winning all the seats. In Madarihat, Manoj Tigga had won by 32,000 votes in 2021. Mr Tigga has become a BJP MP. BJP had not received any help from its former MP John Barla and there are speculations that Mr Barla may join Trinamul Congress soon. Mr Barla, however, denied the speculation.
In Sitai, Trinamul is confident of retaining the seat. Mr Jagadish Chandra Basunia had won the seat by over 10,000 votes in 2021. The seat fell vacant after he became an MP.
In Taldangra the BJP leaders said the party candidate would win the seat. Local people alleged that the CPM would support the BJP clandestinely.
The poor organisation of CPM has once again been revealed. Forward Bloc and RSP have fielded candidates in Sitai and Madarihat. ISF has fielded its candidate in Haroa in North 24 Parganas.
In Naihati, the deposit of the CPM candidate had been forfeited in the 2021 Assembly election. The CPM has allowed the CPI-ML (Liberation) to field its candidate from the seat. The BJP stood second while Partha Bhowmick, now Trinamul Congress MP had won the seat in 2021 from Naihati. The big question is whether the CPI-ML (Liberation) candidate can save the deposit.
It is to be seen whether the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and hospital on 9 August leaves any impact on the by-election.