New Delhi: Amid the ongoing municipal by-election in the Asansol constituency of West Bengal, a clash broke out between the supporters of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Sunday. The voting had begun earlier in the day amid heavy security.
"We had come to see whether polling was going on peacefully or not, but TMC supporters attacked us. TMC is rigging votes being cast," BJP MLA Laxman Ghorui alleged, according to news agency ANI.
Earlier, actor-turned-politician and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha registered a landslide victory in the parliamentary constituency elections on April 16 in Asansol by securing 6,56,358 votes.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) won both Asansol parliamentary and Ballygunge Assembly seats by-elections held in April year. In Ballygunge, TMC candidate Babul Supriyo won the bypolls securing 51,199 votes.
Now, TMC candidate Bidhan Upadhyay faces BJP's Dilip Chakraborty, CPIM's Shubasis Mondal, and Congress' Somnath Chottopadhyay during this by-election.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the West Bengal state Election Commission on August 2 notified that by-elections to two municipal constituencies - Asansol and Bongaon - will be held on August 21. Asansol is a part of the Paschim Bardhaman district, whereas Bongaon comes under the North 24-Parganas district. As per the State Election Commission, the total number of electors in ward 6 of Asansol is 10,006, while for Bongaon, it is 4776.
(With Agency Inputs)
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