The high-stakes battle between the ruling TMC and Opposition BJP for control of West Bengal ended Wednesday with the state recording a record voter turnout of 92.50% in the second and final phase of polling for 142 Assembly seats in the House of 294.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said West Bengal had recorded the highest ever polling percentage in both phases since Independence. The election results will be announced, along with those for polls in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, on May 4.
“Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal in both Phase I and II since Independence. Chunav ka Parv, Paschim Bengal ka Garv,” CEC Kumar said.
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Charges flew thick and fast from the time the booths opened in the morning with the TMC and BJP, the two main players in the fray, accusing each other of resorting to means to intimidate and influence voters.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the TMC candidate from Bhabanipur, made rounds of the constituency since morning, levelling allegations against the Central forces and accusing Election Commission observers of working at the behest of the BJP.
Suvendu Adhikari, Banerjee’s rival in Bhabanipur, also did the rounds and accused the CM and her party of mobilising “outsiders” for voting.
As the polling progressed during the day, TMC leaders and workers levelled allegations very similar to those made by Banerjee.
There were long queues of voters everywhere and polling was brisk. The turnout in Nadia was 91.98%, North 24 Parganas 92.72%, South 24 Parganas 93.20%, Kolkata South 87.83%, Kolkata North 89.35%, Howrah 92.35%, Hooghly 91.93% and Purba Bardhaman 93.78%.
Like the first phase polling on April 23, no major incident of violence was reported in the second phase.
There were a few sporadic incidents such as tape being put on the EVM button against the name of a BJP candidate, and polling agents being beaten up.
In the Falta constituency, the BJP accused the TMC of taping the EVM button against the name of the BJP candidate.
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal told the media: “Wherever there are complaints, including that of pasting tapes, black tapes or white tapes on EVMs, we will evaluate the reports sent by the observer and others. And if it is found true, re-polling will take place in those booths. If there are many such incidents reported in any constituency, we may consider repolling in the whole constituency.”
In ward number 6 of North Dumdum, the BJP alleged that its worker Arpan Pal has been attacked by TMC workers with a blade. In Khanakul, the ISF said that their polling agent was not being allowed to sit in booths. The ISF also alleged that their party supporters were attacked by TMC workers.
Ratna Debnath, the BJP candidate from Panihati, said her car was attacked by the TMC workers who also raised slogans asking her to leave the area. “We have complained to ECI. We know this is the TMC threat culture,” she told mediapersons.
In Ketugram of East Burdwan district, crude bombs were spotted some 200 metres from a polling booth. Alerted by residents, police cordoned off the area and a bomb squad was called.
In Bhangar, Central forces and police had to lathicharge a crowd trying to chase away ISF candidate Naushad Siddiqui from a booth.
In Chinsurah of Hooghly district, TMC candidate Debangshu Bhattacharya said the party camp office was ransacked. The Forward Bloc and BJP also said their booth camps had been ransacked and voter lists were torn.