Across ideological lines, all parties in West Bengal denounced the tragic deaths of 11 persons in various districts as voting for panchayat elections began on Saturday, while the opposition BJP asked for President's Rule in the state.
Suvendu Adhikari, the BJP's leader in the state assembly, urged that President's Rule be implemented in the state, news agency ANI reported. Speaking with media, Adhikari stated: "The governor made the biggest mistake by appointing Rajiva Sinja...It is 3 pm & over 15 people have died, they were killed by TMC goons...Centre should intervene with either Article 355 or 356...we want action from custodian of constitution."
The governing Trinamool Congress, which lost six supporters in the polls, blamed the opposition of inciting unrest and chastised the central forces for failing to safeguard voters. "Congress, CPI(M), BJP attacking TMC workers; planned violence as an excuse for losing elections," said TMC's Kunal Ghosh, PTI reported.
State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, on the other hand, claimed that TMC thugs are free to roam and that the people's mandate has been stolen.
Md Salim, West Bengal secretary of the CPI(M), said that the central force was not effectively deployed.
Six TMC members were among those slain since midnight, as were one worker from each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and ISF, as well as another individual whose political identification could not be determined, PTI reported.
Senior state minister Sashi Panja stated: "Shocking incidents are being reported since last night. BJP, CPI(M) and Congress had colluded, demanding central forces. Where are they deployed? TMC workers are being murdered. Where are the central forces?"
The TMC stated in a statement that 27 persons had been slain since the panchayat elections were declared on June 8, with 17 of them belonging to Trinamool, accounting for more than 60% of the overall fatalities. “If Trinamool were indeed instigating violence, as the media is alleging, why would their own workers be targeted and killed? The Opposition has conceded defeat and is now attempting to shape the narrative around how violence affected the election, utilising their allies in the media,” the statement was quoted by PTI in its report.
There are over 60,000 polling stations in West Bengal, but just about 60 have been disrupted throughout the voting process, according to the statement, adding that no incidents of violence have been recorded.
According to BJP leader Rahul Sinha, the SEC is operating under the guidance of the state's Trinamool Congress administration and has failed to fully execute its obligations.
"This is evident from the way they are conducting the polling today. At several booths, there are no central forces, while the state police are also absent in a few. I have got photographs as well as videos where CCTVs were not connected to wires even. This actually helped the miscreants carry out violence,” he was quoted by PTI in its report.
CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said, “The central force was not properly mobilised in spite of the high court order and it was a goof up between central and state forces.”
Speaking with PTI, senior CPI(M) leader Dr Sujan Chakraborty stated: "There is rampant usage of arms and the ruling Trinamool Congress is behind all these incidents. They had planned it well in advance to create disturbances on the polling day and loot votes. But I am happy to see that in some places, people have put up resistance."
Adhir Chowdhury, president of the State Congress, stated the election had devolved into a farce because "TMC goons are having a free run, and people's mandate has been looted."
(With Inputs From Agencies)