There were reports of altercations between supporters of TMC, BJP and CPI (M) from several polling booths in the constituency. BJP MP and Union minister Babul Supriyo’s car was vandalised during the clash.
Kolkata: Security forces resorted to lathi-charge on Monday at a polling station in Asansol parliamentary constituency after clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters over allegations of electoral malpractices. There were reports of altercations between supporters of TMC, BJP and CPI (M) from several polling booths in the constituency.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Union minister Babul Supriyo’s car was vandalised during the clash.
The clash broke out after Trinamool Congress workers insisted that voting continue despite the absence of central forces at the polling booth. Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed this, according to NDTV. Clashes were reported outside booth number 125-129 and 199 in Asansol, ANI reported.
Supriyo, the sitting MP and BJP’s candidate from Asansol, said people in West Bengal were aware that central forces were not stationed at the polling booth and that they wanted security personnel present there to cast their vote. “I will myself take the central forces to that polling station,” ANI quoted him as saying. “Mamata Banerjee is scared of democracy, that’s why this is happening,” he said, according to NDTV.
Supriyo is contesting against the CPI(M)’s Gouranga Chatterjee, Trinamool’s actor-turned-politician Moon Moon Sen and Congress’ Biswarup Mondal. Eight constituencies in West Bengal are voting on Monday.
Moon Moon Sen said was unaware of clashes in her Asansol constituency as she had “woken up late”. “They gave me my bed tea very late so I woke up very late. What can I say? I really don’t know,” she was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Villagers boycotted polls at polling booth numbers 222 and 226 in Jemua of Bardhaman constituency as central forces were not present, ANI reported. Voting was suspended at the polling station as voters reportedly staged a protest.
Clashes also took place between workers of the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party in Nanoor under Birbhum, reported India Today. The villagers had reportedly alleged that Trinamool Congress workers were threatening them.
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation led by party MP Shukhendu Shekhar Roy on Monday sought time from Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) West Bengal regarding the violence caused during polling in Asansol Lok Sabha seat. EC’s response is awaited.