Tensions erupted in Bhabanipur as BJP workers blocked a TMC vehicle, claiming it held suspicious items. CM Mamata Banerjee later visited the EVM strong room, alleging potential tampering and a biased Election Commission.
Tensions Flare in Bhabanipur
Tensions flared in the Bhabanipur assembly constituency on Thursday as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers blocked the movement of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) vehicle, alleging that it was carrying suspicious items. One of the workers claimed that the vehicle was transporting something questionable and insisted that it would not be allowed to move. "There is something in the vehicle. Mamata Banerjee has brought something in her vehicle. The vehicle will not be allowed to move," he said.
Another BJP worker said, "They (TMC) will put duplicate machines and tamper with them... What is the vehicle of TMC doing outside the counting centre?"
Mamata Banerjee Alleges EVM Tampering
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strong room in Kolkata late Thursday night and said that her party will prevent all attempts, if made, to tamper with electronic voting machines. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strong room. TMC supremo here is facing BJP's Suvendu Adhikari.
Claiming that her party received reports of EVM tampering in many parts of the state, Banerjee said, "There is a strong room here for EVMs. We found that in many places, manipulation is taking place. When I saw the CCTV on TV, I thought I should also go and see it. Initially, the Central Forces wouldn't let me enter. But according to our election rules, the candidate and election agent of any party are allowed up to the sealed room."
Asserting that TMC is facing a biased stance from the Election Commission of India, CM Banerjee said, "Our agent has been arrested; there has been so much one-sidedness. Even after that, if someone tries to steal the EVM machine, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight life and death together."
Record Turnout Amid Political Friction
West Bengal has achieved its highest voter turnout since independence, reaching a historic 91.66 per cent during Phase II of the elections. However, the polling day also witnessed high political tensions between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the deployment of security forces in the state.
Exit Polls Predict BJP Win
Most exit polls have predicted a BJP ousting the TMC in West Bengal, which has been in power for the last 15 years. Chanakya Strategies projected the BJP winning 150-160 seats in 294 West Bengal assembly and getting a majority of its own. It said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) would win 30-40 seats and others six to 10 seats.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)