BJP failed to fetch even 10 votes in 10% booths of S 24-Pgns

KOLKATA: Even as the star campaigners of BJP — Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda — held several rallies and roadshows in South 24-Parganas, the BJP couldn't bag even 10 votes in at least 10 per cent of the polling booths in the district during the recently-held state Assembly polls 2021. As per political analysts, the party's dismal performance in the polls indicates that people of Bengal had shunned BJP's Hindutva politics and divisive nationalism. There were about 11,279 booths in South 24-Parganas.

During the campaign, BJP had made desperate attempts to woo the voters in the district. Narendra Modi was the first Prime Minister ever in the country to have held a public meeting at Sonarpur in South 24-Parganas.

The saffron leaders had leveled charges of corruption against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, without furnishing any proof and covertly played the Hindutva card. Sources said the state BJP leadership was not taken into confidence and the central leadership prepared the schedule of the campaign and the narratives.

The pattern of vote revealed that the rural populace rejected BJP's divisive politics. In five booths in Maheshtala and Kulpi, BJP failed to get even a single vote in their favour. In 81 booths in these areas, the BJP got less than 10 votes per booth. In many booths, the candidates got less than 5 votes.

In a desperate bid to defend themselves, the BJP leaders alleged that Trinamool had rigged the election.

Refuting BJP's allegation, Trinamool leaders said the Central forces were deployed everywhere and the Election Commission (EC) had acted like an agency of BJP.

"People had voted for TMC spontaneously and rejected their divisive and communal politics," the TMC leaders said.