Polling in different districts of West Bengal was disrupted by violence on Monday during the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
In Durgapur, a brawl broke out between BJP and Trinamool Congress workers. Workers from the ruling Trinamool Congress allegedly vandalised the BJP’s kiosk outside a voting place in Birbhum.
TMC leader Ram Prasad Haldar accused BJP workers of attempting to influence voters with the presence of central forces since 6 am. He stated, “We protested against it, voters also protested. They are trying to bring polling agents from outside. Central forces are threatening the people and influencing them. People of the area are opposing them here.”
BJP MLA Laxman Ghorui claimed that their polling agents were forcibly removed from the polling booth at TN School in Durgapur. He said, “Our polling agents were repeatedly thrown out of the polling booth by TMC goons.”
Ghorui further criticized the presiding officer’s conduct, alleging mistreatment of voters and women since 6 am. He stated, “When I reached, the presiding officer did not allow me to enter. Only when the press arrived and after the intervention of the SDO, we were allowed to enter.”
Earlier, BJP candidate from Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency Dilip Ghosh accused “goons of TMC” of preventing polling agents from entering the booths. Ghosh expressed hope for improved conditions and smooth voting.
The fourth phase of polling for 96 Parliamentary Constituencies across nine states and one Union Territory commenced on Monday at 7:00 am. Eight seats in West Bengal were part of the polling.
Although still part of the Opposition bloc–INDIA, the TMC contested alone in Bengal, fielding candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress and the Left Front shared seats in the state, with the Left parties contesting 30 seats and the Congress 12.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC secured 34 seats, while the BJP won just 2. However, in the 2019 polls, the BJP made significant gains, winning 18 seats, while the TMC’s tally reduced to 22. The Congress and the Left Front performed poorly.