Violence mar polls in West Bengal, BJP and CPI accuse TMC of creating ruckus

With voting underway for the Seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections, large scale violence is being reported from different parliamentary constituencies of the state.

West Bengal, witnessed clashes on Sunday too with Trinamool and BJP blaming each other for violence.

While vehicles of few leaders were vandalised in poll-related violence, BJP has also accused TMC of beating its office-bearers.

BJP MP candidate from Jadavpur, Anupam Hazra told ANI that the Mandal president of his party was beaten by 'goons' of TMC.

"TMC goons have beaten up a BJP Mandal president, a driver and attacked a car. We also rescued our three polling agents. TMC goons were going to carry out rigging at 52 booths. People are eager to vote for BJP but they are not allowing people to vote", he said.

Earlier while visiting polling booth number 150/137 in Jadavpur, he had also objected to women covering their faces while voting and said, "Women TMC workers with covered faces are casting proxy votes, it is difficult to establish their identity. When we raised an objection to it, they created a ruckus at the polling station."

BJP candidate for Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, Nilanjan Roy's car was also vandalised in Dongaria area of the constituency on Saturday.

Voters in Basirhat and Jadavpurhave alleged that TMC workers are disrupting the election process by not allowing them to vote.

A protest was held by voters outside booth number 189 in Basirhat. "We are not being allowed to vote by TMC goons. We went to Police for complaining against them, but TMC supporters stopped us midway and started beating us," a protestor said.

BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Basirhat, Sayantan Basu was also present at the spot. "100 people were stopped from voting. We will take them to cast their vote," he said.

Party's candidate from Basirhat also alleged of the poll process being hindered by TMC workers and demanded the additional presence of Central forces.

Similarly, in Jadavpur, there were disturbances in the polling process at booth number 150 and 137.

Discontent over the poll process was not limited to BJP but CPI also complaint of high-handedness by TMC workers.

CPI candidate Pallab Sengupta on Sunday registered 142 complaints against TMC workers. In his complaint, he had asserted that TMC workers were pressurizing voters to vote for their party's candidate.

West Bengal voted across all the seven phases of national polls, today being the last one. All the earlier phases have witnessed poll violence with TMC and BJP trading blame over the issue. Nine seats in the state are voting today.

Sunday marks the end of the seven-phase polling in the country with a total of 59 parliamentary constituencies voting today. The counting of votes would take place on May 23.