Kolkata: West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 62.18% till 1 pm in the first phase of Assembly elections on Thursday, even as sporadic violence, allegations of intimidation and technical glitches marked the polling process across several districts.
According to the Election Commission of India, voting continued across 152 constituencies amid tight security, though reports of clashes and disruptions emerged from multiple locations.
In Dakshin Dinajpur’s Kumarganj, BJP candidate Suvendu Sarkar alleged he was assaulted while on his way to a polling booth. He claimed his vehicle was vandalised and that the attack took place in the presence of police personnel. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, accused Sarkar of attempting to create unrest near the booth, triggering protests from locals.
A similar incident was reported from South Dinajpur, where another BJP candidate was allegedly manhandled by TMC workers, with security personnel seen intervening.
Earlier in the day, violence was reported from Murshidabad’s Nowda area, where unidentified assailants hurled crude bombs, injuring several people. The situation escalated when supporters of the TMC clashed with workers of Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), with reports of stone pelting and vandalism.
Kabir alleged voter intimidation and accused the ruling party of electoral malpractice, while TMC supporters branded him a “BJP agent,” leading to heated confrontations near polling stations.
Apart from violence, complaints of malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs) were reported from several booths, particularly in Murshidabad. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury flagged repeated EVM failures, claiming voters were forced to return after waiting in long queues under the sun.
There were also reports of ink being smeared on the BJP’s lotus symbol on an EVM in Raghunathpur, though the CRPF later said the issue had been resolved and polling resumed.
Despite these disruptions, political leaders across parties continued campaigning and voting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally, claimed there was widespread anger against the TMC and suggested the ruling party may struggle to open its account in several areas.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the BJP office in Kolkata during polling, while actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha cast his vote in Asansol, urging citizens to fulfil their democratic duty.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim said polling had been largely peaceful overall, barring isolated incidents, but blamed the poll panel for lapses in handling disturbances.
The high-stakes contest in West Bengal is primarily between the ruling TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the BJP, which is seeking to unseat it, with Congress and Left parties hoping to retain influence in select regions.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. Over 3.6 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in this phase, which spans 16 districts. The remaining 142 constituencies will vote on April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
