Kolkata: TMC candidate Sheikh Nurul Islam was leading in West Bengal's Basirhat Lok Sabha seat where Sandeshkhali is located, showed initial trends by the Election Commission of India. 

The data as of 11:30 AM suggested TMC candidate left behind Patra with a margin of over 50,000 votes. The counting of votes is underway across the nation and final results will be declared later in the evening. 

The unrest in the Sandeshkhali region of the state stoked a massive political controversy. A huge uproar was witnessed by the women protestors demanding the arrest of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates. 

The allegations against Sheikh and his cohorts include land grabbing and sexual harassment.  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the saffron party for mounting the trouble in Sandeshkhali, while the BJP accused her and the state government of being complicit in crimes against women in the area.

The National Commission for Women (NCW), whose team had visited the area a few days back, in a damning report, has highlighted widespread fear and systematic abuse in Sandeshkhali, implicating both police officers and TMC members.

The Basirhat Lok Sabha went to polls in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha election on June 1.