Asansol, : Clashes broke out early in Bengal’s Asansol as voting ensued in the fourth round of the national elections.
The vehicle of Union Minister Babul Supriyo, the BJP candidate in Asansol, was vandalised outside a polling station, when a fight erupted between workers of the BJP and the state’s ruling Trinamool.
“Voters are not being allowed to vote,” alleged Babul Supriyo. “Our fight is to establish democracy. It is shameful that I am saying this in a democratic country,” he told mediapersons.
The district has been witnessing heightened tension since polling began for the phase 4 of the Lok Sabha elections.
Mr Supriyo said he would be on the road and visit every polling station where trouble was reported.
“I will myself take the central forces to that polling station. It is very good that people in West Bengal are aware and they want central forces so that they can cast their vote. This is why Mamata Banerjee is scared,” he said.
“There is a voter revolution that is being seen in these elections. Mamata Banerjee can only see her seat and nothing else,” the Union minister said.
Meanwhile, voters are alleging that they are unable to vote. Rapid Action Forces (RAF) and central forces are trying to control the situation while the police resorted to lathi charge.
Union Minister and sitting MP Babul Supriyo of the BJP is up against Trinamool Congress’s Moon Moon Sen and Gaurang Chattopadhyay, who is contesting on a CPi(M) ticket.
Scuffles happened between TMC workers and police officials at polling stations in Asansol over the absence of central forces at the same booth. The police resorted to lathi charge to contain the protesting villagers.
“I will myself take the central forces to that polling station. It is very good that people in West Bengal are aware and they want central forces so that they can cast their vote. This is why Mamata Banerjee is scared,” Babul Supriyo told reporters.
However, the poll body has sought a report from the district as what the BJP candidate was doing.
The eight LS seats which are on poll for 4th phase are- Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat, Burdwan East, Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur and Birbhum. The main political parties that are in the election battle in West Bengal are the Trinamool Congress, the BJP, the Congress and the Left Front.
An electorate of 1,34,56,491 is eligible to cast their votes in the fourth phase of elections in the state, according to the Election Commission.
A clash also reported between TMC workers and QRF ( quick response force) and security personnel outside polling booth number 125-129 in Asansol, after disagreement erupted between BJP and CPI(M) workers, after TMC workers insisted on polling despite absence of central forces.
Another report said from Murshidabad said the Congress alleged that its polling agents were not being allowed to enter booth at Krishnanatha College.
Adhir Ranjan Choudhary has rushed to the spot. Congress claimed no central forces were present at the booth.
BJP candidate from Krishnanagar LS seat Kalyan Chaubey alleged that “TMC goons” had captured polling stations in the constituency.
Booth numbers 197/198, 102, 19 to 35, 67-71 in Chapra, booth no. 62 (Bikrampur), 240 (Dogachi), booth no. 121/122 (Kanainagar) under Krishananagar LS Constituency has been captured by TMC goons, he tweeted.
UNI.
