30 pc turnout till 11 am in Tripura

Thirty per cent voter turn out was recorded in the first four hours of polling in West Tripura Lok Sabha seat even as the opposition CPI(M) and the Congress alleged of rigging and intimidation of voters.

"Till 11 am voting percentage was 30 per cent," Returning Officer of West Tripura seat Sandeep Mahatme said.

The other Lok Sabha seat-Tripura East-will witness polling on April 18 in the second phase.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar, sitting MP and CPI-M candidate for the constituency Shankar Prasad Datta, Congress candidate Subal Bhowmick and BJP candidate Pratima Bhowmick have exercised their franchise in the morning.

Congress candidate Subal Bhowmick accused the supporters of the ruling BJP of indulging in rigging, intimidating voters and resisting electors from entering the booths.

"In Mohanpur, Bishalgarh, Boxanagar, Dhanpur and many other constituencies, booths were captured by workers of the ruling BJP. I have lodged complaints with the ECI," he told reporters.

CPI-M candidate Shankar Prasad Datta said, after receiving complaints of rigging from party workers, the Left party has lodged complaints with the observers and the police.

Leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar said, "The BJP workers were intimidating voters. We could not field polling agents in many booths. We have a strong organisation in the entire state and if we cannot field polling agents, then you can understand the situation."