Sisir Adhikari to seek more central forces in Bengal for Suvendu-Mamata Nandigram clash

With the first phase of West Bengal Assembly polls getting underway on Saturday morning, drama unfolded on the very first day of the elections as former TMC leader Soumendu Adhikari's convoy was allegedly attacked. The recently joinee BJP leader's convoy was allegedly attacked and vandalized in Contai. While Adhikari was not present in his vehicle, his driver was allegedly beaten up by goons, claimed Soumendu's brother Dibyendu Adhikari. 

Soumendu Adhikari has accused the TMC block president Ram Govind Das of having a hand in the alleged attack. Claiming that the TMC block president and his wife have been rigging the polls at three booths, Adhikari claimed that his arrival at Contai had created a 'problem' which is why they attacked the BJP leader's convoy. 

"I got to know that vehicle (of Soumendu Adhikari) was attacked in Contai with help of TMC block president Ram Govind Das. Soumendu isn't injured. Driver was beaten up. I've informed Police Observer," Dibyendu Adhikari told ANI. 

Soumendu's father Sisir Adhikari also leveled similar allegations against the TMC as he claimed that there is a 'loot' going on in the booths. Ahead of the second phase of elections in which Nandigram is set to go to the polls, Sisir Adhikari has said that the party will seek deployment of more central forces at the polling booths. Notably, Sisir's son and former Mamata Banerjee aide Suvendu Adhikari is set to contest on BJP ticket from his stronghold Nandigram. Suvendu will lock horns with TMC chief and CM Mamata Banerjee who has vacated her Bhowanipore seat with an aim of defeating her former aide. 

"They hit the car and the glass got broken. They later put the glass in the driver's hand. Suvendu was not in the spot. There is loot in both the booths. They have security and rifle. We will take the help of more Central forces at polling booths from now only ahead of second phase of elections," Sisir Adhikari said.

TMC claims poll rigging 

A 10 member Trinamool Congress Parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien met the Election Commission in Kolkata at noon on Saturday to raise some ‘serious concerns’ regarding the ongoing phase one of the assembly elections in West Bengal. Holding a press conference after the meeting, the delegation said that it has requested the election panel to appoint polling agents as per the location and not by the decision of any party.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party also alleged EVM malfunctioning in polling booths across Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and East Midnapore and accused BJP workers of entering poll booths at various locations and misguiding voters. The ruling party also drew the poll panel’s attention toward the ‘drastic reduction’ in the voting percentage of two constituencies – Kanthi Dakshin, Kanthi Uttar – within ‘5 minutes’.

684 CAPF companies deployed 

The Election Commission has deployed at least 684 companies of CAPF in 10,288 booths spread in about 7,034 premises in five districts in the first phase of polling in West Bengal on March 27. In the first phase, the election is scheduled in 30 assembly constituencies of Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Purba Medinipur (Part 1) and Paschim Medinipur (Part 1), he said. Keeping in mind the Maoist activity in the Jhargram district, the EC has decided to deploy 11 paramilitary personnel per booth, the highest in any election in the state so far, the official had told PTI.