Peaceful polls in Hills, plains face violence

Kolkata: Violence marked the civic body elections in the three municipalities in the plains, while election in the Hills remained more or less peaceful. Both the Congress and the BJP demanded scrapping of the election at all the three municipalities in the plains - Domkal in Murshidabad district, Pujali in South 24 Parganas and Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur district, alleging booth captures and violence in a number of booths.

According to a statement issued by the state election commission’s office regarding the voting till 5 pm, Pujali municipality recorded the highest vote percentage with 79.6, followed by Domkal at 77.5 per cent. The voting percentage in Darjeeling, Kurseong , Kalimpong and Mirik subdivision in the Hills were 52, 66.1, 58.1 and 74.3 respectively. In Raiganj, it was 66 per cent. Congress and the Left Front forged an undeclared alliance for the civic polls in all the three civic bodies.

Pujali in South 24 Parganas witnessed bike-borne youths armed with sticks and bombs trying to dominate the area in a bid to terrorise voters. At ward no 9, there was bombing outside booth number 11, following which some miscreants allegedly from the Trinamul Congress ransacked the booth and broke the EVM machines, thereby stalling the voting process. “The TMC captured booths in wards 2, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 15,” CPI(M) secretary of South 24 Parganas Samik Lahiri said.

Reports of violence intimidating voters came from Raiganj. In ward number 10, voters of the Congress were allegedly shown firearms and threatened with dire consequences if they cast their votes. Bombs were hurled at ward 23 and 28. Former Congress MP from Raiganj Deepa Dasmunshi alleged that Opposition workers came under intense attack from Trinamul supported “goons”.

At around 1 pm, Ms Dasmunshi along with the local CPI(M) leadership announced withdrawal of their candidates in all its 27 wards. “Genuine voters weren’t allowed to vote. The police and election officials made no effort to provide protection to voters or our workers.” she said.

“Police and election officials made no effort to provide protection to voters or our workers. Even our election agents were driven out in some booths,” she said.

Domkal in Murshidabad also saw a similar situation according to the Opposition.

CPI(M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra alleged that the elections were far from “free and fair”. “Since morning, elections have been a farce. Three of our workers were injured when they were fired upon by Trinamul-backed miscreants. Another worker suffered broken limbs,” he said.

Demanding scrapping of the civic elections and repoll in Pujali, Raiganj and Domkal, Mr Mishra said, “We have no illusion that fresh elections will be impartial. This shows it is not possible to hold proper polls so long as the Trinamul is in power.”

Trinamul Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee however alleged that the CPI(M) and the Congress have surrendered before the BJP. “The BJP does not believe in democracy and has ransacked three EVM machines. The CPI(M) and the Congress have been suffering from identity crises and have surrendered before the saffron brigade,” Mr Chatterjee said.

Polling was, however, peaceful in four municipalities in northern Bengal hills — Darjeeling, Kurseong, Mirik and Kalimpong, where the TMC has been desperate to dent the political hegemony of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.