Phase 1 Lok Sabha elections: Violence in West Bengal, Tripura pockets; 41.02% voter turnout till 1 pm

As the polling began for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, reports of violence and disruptions trickled in from West Bengal and Tripura.

In West Bengal, the district of Cooch Behar has witnessed instances of poll-related violence, with clashes reported between workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Amid polling for the Lok Sabha elections, incidents of violence were reported in the Chandamari area, where one TMC worker was reportedly injured. Central forces intervened to control the situation. Additionally, in Sitalkuchi, violent clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters, with the TMC alleging that BJP workers threatened voters at a polling booth. The BJP has denied these allegations.

As per data released by the Election Commission of India, West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 41.02 percent till 1 pm in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Tripura recorded the highest turnout at 53.04 percent during the same period.

Former Tripura Chief Minister and BJP candidate for the West Tripura Parliamentary constituency, Biplab Kumar Deb, expressed confidence in his victory after casting his vote. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and CPI(M) politburo member Manik Sarkar highlighted the importance of free and fair elections, expressing hope for positive results.

There have been allegations of poll violations and disruptions in Northeast too. Armed miscreants reportedly entered a polling booth in Khongman, Imphal East, engaging in proxy voting. Opposition candidates in West Tripura have accused the ruling party of hooliganism and obstructing the polling process by denying entry to opposition polling agents.

On the other hand, Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder, a BJP candidate for a by-poll at Ramnagar assembly constituency, refuted the allegations of the opposition, stating that polling is proceeding peacefully. The situation remains tense, with concerns raised about the integrity of the electoral process amidst these reports of violence and irregularities.