Clashes break out in Boyal during polls

Nandigram: Big trouble erupted in a polling booth on Thursday during the second phase of polling in the Boyal area of Nandigram constituenc...

Nandigram: Big trouble erupted in a polling booth on Thursday during the second phase of polling in the Boyal area of Nandigram constituency over stopping the deployment of TMC’s polling agent, rigging and other irregularities in a booth. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was stuck inside the school premises for over two hours when she had gone to the booth to oversee the situation, after receiving complaints. The Election Commission has sought a detailed report from the state administration in connection with the incident of violence in Boyal.

A huge contingent of security forces and state police cordoned off the area, and Mamata Banerjee was brought out in wheel chair from the school premises

The Trinamool Congress Supremo said, “I am not worried about my victory in Nandigram, but I am disturbed about attack on democracy. My workers have been beaten up and tortured for the last few years. We have filed 63 complaints against the BJP.”

Banerjee had reached the booth in the afternoon after she received a number of complaints from TMC leaders that the polling agent was not allowed to sit inside the polling booth no 7 in Boyal. Complaints of irregularities inside the booth was also filed by the TMC to the Election Commission.

Banerjee claimed that despite prohibitory orders, BJP workers were raising ‘Jai Sri Ram slogans’. She has demanded a repoll in the booth.

 TMC and BJP workers, who were in two different parts of a field, where the polling booth was located, indulged in violence.

TMC supporter Sheikh Sattar claimed he was unable to vote and BJP was allegedly rigging inside the booth. “The TMC polling agent was not allowed inside the booth. We could not vote today,” the voter said.

 

While BJP supporters like Nilima Satpathi said, “How can the CM sit inside the polling booth while the polling is on.”

 

A huge number of CRPF and state police was deployed to prevent further escalation of violence. While BJP supporters shouted ‘Jai Sri Ram’, TMC supporters claimed they were prevented from voting. The CRPF and RAF cordoned off the area.

 

The Deputy Election Commissioner, Sudeep Jain, has sought a report from the administration regarding the incident outside a polling booth in Boyal area in Nadigram, but also about the death of a person in the Keshpur area. A BJP worker was allegedly found hanging near the Reyapara area in Nandigram Block-1.

 

The BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari travelled from one booth to another from Nandigram Block I to Sonachura and several other areas while in the morning, Mamata Banerjee stayed confined to her house in Reyapara, Nandigram.

.

He cast his vote in Nandanayakbar Primary High School in Nandigram in the morning.

Polling was held in phase two of the elections at 30 assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts.