Kolkata: The by-election for the Sagardighi assembly constituency in Murshidabad passed off peacefully with polling percentage being recorded at around 73.49 percent till 5 pm. The ruling Trinamool Congress in the state has accused BJP and the Left supported Congress of forging an unholy alliance. Trinamool has also alleged that BJP candidate Dilip Saha tried to intimidate voters at various booths soon after the election process began on Monday morning.
The ruling party further alleged that BJP, with the Central forces, tried to influence the voters. In its Twitter handle, TMC said: “Sagardighi Bypolls is a SHINING example of @BJP4Bengal’s UNDEMOCRATIC approach and their BLATANT MISUSE of power. Elections are won by catering to people, BJP, not by HARASSING them. Take a look at how the CRPF is trying to influence voters.”
Trinamool Congress has fielded Debashish Banerjee for the Sagardighi bypoll while Dilip Saha is the BJP nominee. The Left-supported Congress candidate is Bayron Biswas. Bypoll at the Sagardighi assembly seat was necessitated by the death of its three-time TMC MLA and state minister Subrata Saha in December last year.
It was alleged that the BJP candidate entered a booth in Shamshabad High School with the Central forces and tried to influence the voters. Following protests from the voters, the BJP candidate had to leave the booth. BJP and Left-supported Congress candidates were seen exchanging warm greetings when they met each other in front of a booth soon after voting began.
Trinamool Congress had earlier alleged that the BJP, Congress and CPI(M) had joined hands against the ruling party. Party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee during his election rally in Sagardighi alleged that Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari had decided the candidate of the Left-backed Congress. He said there was an unholy nexus between all the three parties.
The Central forces were ‘hyper active’ in certain places, alleged Trinamool Congress. The Opposition created trouble in booth numbers 211, 210. Congress candidate Biswas allegedly tried to influence the voters. The BJP candidate allegedly drove the state police 200 metres away from booth numbers 208 and 211. The Election Commission has sought a report on the issue.
The presiding officer of booth number 53 at Sagardighi Danrail Primary School was removed after polling agents complained about the mock poll. And there was tension after Congress candidate Biswas entered booths in Hossainpur and the ruling TMC alleged high-handedness by police and the Central forces.
Barring a few stray incidents, the polling process was more or less peaceful. The Central armed forces personnel have been deployed at all the 246 polling booths. Fate of nine contesting candidates will be decided by about 2,50,000 voters. Results will be published on March 2.