Assembly Polls Phase 3 Polling: 78% Turnout In Bengal Amid Sporadic Violence, Voting Peacefully Ends In Assam

The TMC lodged a complaint with the Election Commission alleging the BJP “goons” attacked Sujata Mondal Khan, the party’s Arambagh candidate, at a voting booth in Arandi area of the constituency.

(Image: PTI)

Kolkata/Guwahati: The third phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal witnessed clashes between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers while voting in the north-eastern state of Assam was peaceful on Tuesday.  

Around 78 percent voter turnout was recorded in 31 constituencies of West Bengal till 5 p.m. while Assam witnessed an estimated 82.33 percent voter turnout in 40 assembly seats.

The TMC lodged a complaint with the Election Commission alleging the BJP “goons” attacked Sujata Mondal Khan, the party’s Arambagh candidate, at a voting booth in Arandi area of the constituency.

Her security officer also sustained head injuries in the incident which Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee condemned and accused the BJP of creating chaos and threatening her party supporters during the voting in Arambagh.

In another incident, at least one person was injured when crude bombs were lobbed outside a polling station in South 24 Parganas district’s Canning Purba seat. Clashes were also reported from some seats of South 24 Parganas where several people were injured after the TMC and Indian Secular Front members came face to face.

Some stray incidents of violence, however, took place during the polling in Assam as well, but polling were largely peaceful. The state’s Golokgunj assembly constituency witnessed clashes between two groups following which the police intervened and fired in the air to disperse the crowd.

In another incident, the security personnel were attacked at a polling booth in Bilasipara West seat over distribution of free masks. The police later baton-charged those indulging in the violence to bring the situation under control.

Voting for the West Bengal Assembly elections is being held in eight phases. The results for both West Bengal and Assam will be declared on May 2.