Raiganj Lok Sabha seat: Highest number of candidates in fray

Raiganj: The Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency boasts of the highest number of candidates in the fray among the three constituencies going to polls on Friday in the second phase of the polls in Bengal. Darjeeling, Balurghat and Raiganj constituencies will be going to the fray today.

Owing to the number of candidates, two ballot units have to be installed in each polling station in the constituency. While Darjeeling has 14 candidates, Balurghat has 13 candidates. As many as 17,85,415 electors, including 9,22,055 males; 8,63,270 females and 90 third gender will exercise their franchise in this constituency. The number of electors who have completed 85 years and above stands at 12,582. A majority of such aged candidates along with the specially-abled cast their votes from their residences through ballot boxes in the presence of elections officers and CAPF.

The voters will exercise their franchise at 1,730 polling stations in seven Assembly segments — Islampur, Goalpokhar, Chakulia, Karandighi, Kaliyaganj, Hemtabad and Raiganj. About 236 polling stations have been marked as critical and another 210 have been labelled sensitive in the constituency. A total of 48 polling stations will be manned by women in the Raiganj Parliamentary constituency and 30 of them have been set up in the Raiganj Assembly segment and 13 in Kaliyaganj. Owing to the intense heat, arrangements for cold water, glucose and proper shade at polling stations have been made. A total of 111 companies of Central Force will be deployed in this constituency. Police also started naka checking at both the Bangla-Bihar state border areas. The BSF is on alert at the Indo-Bangladesh border areas.

Surendra Kumar Meena, Returning Officer of Raiganj Parliamentary constituency, said: “All measures have been adopted for both the voters, polling personnel and security personnel. Adequate security, including Central Force, to be deployed in all polling stations for peaceful polling in our constituency.” Political observers opine that a triangular fight will take place between Krishna Kalyani of TMC, Kartick Chandra Paul of BJP and Ali Imran Ramz of Congress. In 2019, BJP candidate Debasree Chaudhuri had won from this seat.