Bypolls: TMC aims for a clean sweep in 4 South Bengal seats

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is eyeing a victory in the by-elections of all four Assembly seats in south Bengal — Naihati, Haroa, Midnapore and Taldangra.

The by-elections that took place in all these four Assembly segments on Wednesday were by and large peaceful.

Elections were carried out in 1,057 polling stations under these four constituencies.

In Naihati, BJP candidate Rupak Mitra was seen threatening the presiding officer at booth number 24 in a primary school by saying that they would go to court if the election was not properly conducted. Mitra was also seen rushing to Malancha High School after allegedly being informed that the party’s polling agent was not allowed to sit in the booth.

A formal complaint was lodged with the Election Commission over the matter. Mitra alleged that his election agent was not allowed to sit in a booth.

The ruling TMC leaders from North 24-Parganas, however, denied the allegations brought by the BJP candidate saying that BJP was levelling “false allegations” after sensing his inevitable defeat in the by-election in Naihati.

Haroa is another Assembly Constituency under North 24-Parganas that went to poll on Wednesday. In Haroa, BJP candidate Bimal Das was seen arguing with a TMC agent at a booth in Sadarpur High School when he objected to the placement of an electronic voting machine (EVM).

Das alleged before the media that the EVM was placed in a manner that breached privacy and TMC workers were sitting next to the EVM. Das also claimed that when he took up the issue the Trinamool Congress agents had objected.

TMC, however, refuted the allegations and said that Haroa is one of the seats where TMC would win by a record margin.

Apprehending defeat, the BJP candidate from Haroa was creating a “cock and bull story”, TMC claimed.

Haroa TMC candidate Sk Rabiul Islam is the son of late TMC MP Haji Nurul Islam.

Rabiul visited several booths on Wednesday morning and said that the election in Haroa was completely peaceful.

The main contest, in Haroa, a minority-dominated Constituency, will be between the ruling TMC and All India Secular Front (AISF).The CPI(M)-led Left Front has supported the AISF candidate. AISF has fielded Piyarul Islam.

Apart from four south Bengal seats, Madarihat and Sitai in north Bengal also went to poll on Wednesday.

TMC candidate from Taldangra in Bankura, Falguni Singha Babu stood in the queue with the other voters at Salboni primary school and cast his vote. In Midnapore, BJP leaders alleged that the police were unfairly detaining and keeping their leaders under house arrest.

Subhojit Roy, the BJP candidate in Midnapore told the media that over a dozen of BJP leaders and workers were detained while many others were under house arrest.

TMC candidate in Midnapore Sujoy Hazra denied the charges and said that his victory was just a matter of time.

In three consecutive Assembly elections in 2011, 2016 and 2016, the ruling party candidates got elected by comfortable margins.