Opposition parties in West Bengal slammed the State Election Commission for "failing" to conduct the rural polls in a free and fair manner and accused the ruling TMC of letting loose a reign of terror which lead to the killing of at least 12 people during the polling today.
The Trinamool Congress has termed the allegations "baseless and concocted".
Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo tweeted, "It is for the world to see how TMC lets WB's Maa Maati Manush suffer in utter chaos. Bengal gets wounded and sheds blood every time TMC goons brutally attack the state's democracy and peace. Dreadful visuals of the Panchayat Polls prove just that."
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said, "Democracy has been murdered by TMC in West Bengal."