Kolkata| Amidst sporadic incidents of violence, the first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal saw a voter turnout of 79.79 percent for 30 assembly seats. According to Election Commission (EC) data, 79.79 percent of people exercised their franchise in Bengal in the first phase till 5.30 pm.
According to Election Commission sources, about 80.03 percent polling was recorded in Bankura, 80.55 percent in Jhargram, 80.16 percent in West Midnapore and 82.42 percent in East Midnapore district.
Due to the state of the Covid-19 epidemic, the polling booths in the states were opened at 7 am and closed at 6 pm.
Jhargram, Midnapore, Patshpur and Ramnagar were among the major areas where polling was held in the first phase. The turnout was largely peaceful. However, some incidents of violence were definitely reported from some areas.
Meanwhile, the BJP delegation met Election Commission officials here to protest against the attack on Soumendu Adhikari, brother of BJP leader Shubhendu Adhikari. Soumendu has accused the Trinamool Congress of attacking him in Contai.
“After my arrival, he had a problem with continuing his mischievous antics, so he attacked my car and beat my driver,” he said.
Soumendu Adhikari accused Trinamool block president Ram Govind Das and his wife of rigging the polling in three centers.
Saimendu said, “Elections should be free and fair. The ruling Trinamool Congress of the state is scared. We have given some names to the Election Commission to take necessary action.”
BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said, “This is the most peaceful election in Bengal in the last four decades. Yes, there have been some sporadic incidents, but they have happened due to some anti-social elements. If that section of anti-social elements can be arrested There will not be much problem for voters in the remaining phases of voting. ”
He also congratulated the Election Commission for conducting free and peaceful elections in the first phase.
Earlier, a delegation of Trinamool Congress led by the party’s Lok Sabha leaders Sudeep Bandyopadhyay and Mala Roy met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Kolkata and expressed concern over the difference in data provided by the Election Commission. The delegation demanded that the polling agent of the polling station belonging to the next phase should be local so that it would be easy for them to track.
The Trinamool Congress expressed concern over the alleged tinkering of the figures by tweeting. The party asked the Election Commission how the voting percentage had come down to half within five minutes. In the tweet, asking the Election Commission, it was written, “What is happening! Can you tell how the voting percentage has reduced to half in a span of 5 minutes?”
BJP state unit president Dilip Ghosh told media persons, “The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is under pressure and is complaining about EVMs because they know they are losing. That’s why they are saying such things.”
