Truck hits Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's convoy in West Bengal's Murshidabad

A truck hit Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's convoy in Murshidabad, injuring several staff. The incident happened as the ECI assured the TMC of a fear-free, violence-free election in West Bengal amid an ongoing political row.

Adhir Chowdhury's Convoy Hit by Truck

A truck hit the convoy of Congress candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury near Jibanti, Murshidabad, on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred when Chowdhury was returning to Berhampore after he completed his election campaign in Kandi, ahead of the West Bengal Elections. Several security personnel and staff members were injured in the accident. Further details awaited.

ECI Assures Violence-Free Polls Amid Tussle with TMC

Earlier, referring to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today affirmed that the 2026 State Assembly elections will be free from fear and violence. In an X post, the ECI called for no booth and source jamming on the days of polling in West Bengal. "ECI's Straight-talk to Trinamool Congress. This time, the Elections in West Bengal would surely be: Fear-free, Violence-free, Intimidation-free, Inducement-free and without any Raid, Booth Jamming and Source Jamming," the poll body said.

The poll body's statement came after a delegation of TMC MPs met with the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi. Party MPs Derek O'Brien, Menaka Guruswamy, Sagarika Ghose, and Saket Gokhale were present in the meeting.

TMC Accuses ECI of Colluding with BJP

There have been several confrontations and a tussle between the TMC and the ECI over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The TMC has accused the ECI of working on the behest of the Opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to delete the names of the voters from the electoral rolls.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the TMC leaders alleged, "BJP knows it is staring at a crushing defeat in Bengal. In sheer desperation, it has outsourced its entire election campaign to ECI. This collusion is now out in the open. BJP leader and Aanchal Convenor of Kalicharanpur, Nandigram, Tapan Kumar Mahapatra, was caught openly accompanying the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal."

"Senior Election Commission officials have shed every pretence of neutrality. They are now functioning as de facto BJP operatives, openly fighting the BJP's battles under the cover of constitutional authority. But all these dirty conspiracies are doomed to fail," the party added.

West Bengal Poll Dates

Polling for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. (ANI)

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