Kolkata: Amid reports of stray violence, an estimated 28.1 per cent of 1,63,40,365 electorate exercised their franchise in the first four hours till 11 am on Saturday in the last and final phase election to nine Lok Sabha seats in Bengal.
While Barasat recorded 27.8 per cent polling, Basirhat accounted for 32.56 per cent, Diamond Harbour for 31.51 per cent, Dum Dum for 24.83 per cent, Jadavpur for 26.59 per cent, Joynagar for 30.2 per cent, Mathurapur for 24.62 per cent, Kolkata Uttar for 24.02 per cent and Kolkata Dakshin also for 24.02 per cent.
TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote and exuded confidence of the party’s returning with a better tally this time than in 2019.
Meanwhile, reports of stray violence outside polling stations from various constituencies and attempts to drive away polling agents at different booths have been pouring in since morning. ,So far 1450 complaints have been received by the ECI till 11 am.
Violence-prone Sandeshkhali reports arrived that attempt was made to scare away the voters last night at Bermajur, where the women unitedly guarded the village and decided to cast vote in groups.
The villagers alleged that unidentified miscreants covered their faces attacked the villagers and threatened them not to cast vote for Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency.
At Rajbari in Sarberia of Sandeshkhali two TMC workers were manhandled allegedly by BJP supporters.
BJP candidate Sajal Ghosh for Baranagar Assembly segment chief election agent Kaustav Bagchi alleged that Bonhoogly High School polling booth should have two agents for Uttar Kolkata Lok Sabha seat, but one of the agents was driven out. He complained with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
BKC College under Baranagar Assembly bypoll seat witnessed fisticuffs between CPI(M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya and TMC local Councillor, who alleged that the CPI(M) leader had attacked him and he defended himself. Bhattacharya alleged that he was prevented from going to a booth.
BJP candidate Tapas Roy for Kolkata Uttar was prevented at Lebutala in Bowbazar from going to a booth.
Former CPI(M) state secretary Suryakanta Mishra’s daughter Rosenara Mishra was prevented from going to Ice Skating Rink booth under Kolkata South. She is the polling agent for CPI(M) candidate Saira Shah Halim, who later intervened to ensure her agent take her seat.
Violence was also reported from Bhangar between the supporters of TMC and ISF.
Satulia TMC office was ransacked by the alleged ISF supporters under Bhangar where bombings were reported last night and one live bomb was recovered.
CPI(M) candidate from Diamond Harbour Pratikur Rahaman alleged that a fake agent was found sitting on behalf of CPI(M) candidate.
He alleged that a TMC supporter was found posing as an agent, who finally ran away when chased. Rahaman alleged that the Presiding Officer was playing partisan game.
Diamond Harbour, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin and Kolkata Uttar are going to this phase election along with Baranagar Assembly.
About 967 companies of Central forces and some 33,000 state police have been deployed to ensure free and fair polling from 7 AM to 6 PM.
Altogether 1,63,40,365 electorate, including 80,20,326 women, will exercise their franchise in 17,470 polling stations spreading over two districts of South and North 24-Paraganas and Kolkata to elect nine winners among the 72 contestants.
New voters aged 18-19 accounted for 2,71,596, while over 85 age voters are 1,37,172 and 100 and over are 1155. The PwDs (Persons with Disabilities) electorate are 1,04,396, who are keen to take part in the biggest festival of democracy in India.
The last phase, which has the highest number of seats from all six previous phases, will witness ruling TMC’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee seek his third straight term in Parliament from the Diamond Harbour seat in South 24 Parganas.
Basirhat in North 24-Parganas will have the highest number of 116 central armed forces, where Sandeshkhali incidents are still haunting the the people, and one of the prime issues for the Opposition parties. Sundarbans, which faced the wrath of Remal this week, will have 114 companies of Central forces.
Dumdum has total 16,99,656 voters, including 8,61,521 women, while Barasat has 19,05,400 voters, including 9,46,443 women, Basirhat has 18,04,261 voters, including 8,80,85 women, and Jaynagar (SC) has 18,44,780 voters, including 9,03,184 women.
Mathurapur, also a seat reserved for SC, has 18,17,068 voters, including 8,33,450 women, while Diamond Harbour has 18,80,779 electorate, including 9,26,061 women, Jadavpur has 20,33,525 voters, including 10,26,628 women, Kolkata South has 18,49,520 voters, including 9,02,176 women, and Kolkata North has the lowest 15,05,369 voters, including 6,90,011 women.
Whilst TMC and BJP have fielded all nine candidates, CPI(M) has fielded in six and its Left allies AIFB, RSP and Congress one each.The remaining candidates are Independents.
However, the electorate is focusing mainly on the two key rivals – Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and her arch political opponent the BJP, which is aiming to win 30 seats as per Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s target to pave the way for dislodging the ruling party in near future.
For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has targeted 30 of West Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha segments, the last phase is being seen as the most crucial.Baranagar Assembly seat also goes simultaneously for byelection on June 1.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha poll the TMC won all the nine seats among its 22.
Veteran Sougata Roy is seeking his fourth straight term for TMC and is facing BJP’s Silbhadra Dutta and CPI(M)’s Sujan Chakraborty.
Similarly Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar of TMC is in fight against BJP’s Swapan Majumdar and AIFB’s Sanjib Chatterjee from Barasat.
In Basirhat TMC’s Haji Nurul Islam is in fight against BJP’s Rekha Patra, the face of Sandeshkhali uprise against alleged TMC goons in North 24 Parganas, and CPI(M) veteran Nirapada Sardar, who also fought in the agitation at Sandeshkhali and was in jail before getting bail.
TMC this time changed its candidate replacing moviestar Nusrat Jahan.
For Jaynagar in South 24 Parganas TMC’s sitting MP Pratima Mondal will face BJP’s Asoke Kandari and RSP’s Samarendra Nath Mondal.
In Mathurapur TMC’s Bapi Haldar will face Ashoke Purkait from BJP and CPI(M)’s Sarat Chandra Haldar. TMC this time replaced its winning candidate Mohan Jatua.
Diamond Harbour has TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee contesting agaist BJP’s Abhijit Das alias Bobby and CPI(M)’s Pratikur Rahaman.
In Jadavpur TMC’s Sayani Ghosh will contest against BJP’s Anirban Ganguly and CPI(M)’s Srijan Bhattacharya. The TMC replaced its MP Mimi Chakraborty.
Female voters have outnumbered their male counterparts in Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency among the nine Lok Sabha seats going to this phase.
Among the 20,33,523 electorate, women voters are 10,26,628, 10,06,77 more than male voters, according to the latest electoral roll provided by the state election department.
Kolkata Dakshin has sitting TMC MP Mala Roy, who will face BJP’s Deboshree Chowdhury, a former Union Minister, and CPI(M)’s Saira Shah Halim.
Kolkata Uttar has TMC MP Sudip Banerjee against BJP’s Tapas Roy, who left the Trinamool Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha election and joined the saffron brigade, and Congress’ Pradip Bhattacharjee.
Counting for the 42 Lok Sabha seats and one Assembly seat in the state will be taken up on June 4.
