Peaceful Polls in TMC Stronghold Under the Vigil of Central Forces

Polling during second phase in Bengal was peaceful due to the presence of vigilante central forces, writes Rajat Roy.

A soldier stands guard at Labhpur of West Bengal’s Birbhum district where around six people were injured when activists of Trinamool Congress and the CPI-M, carrying sharp and blunt weapons clashed with each other on April 5, 2016. (Photo: IANS)

The third day of polling in West Bengal saw a change in the attitude of central paramilitary forces. Unlike the two previous occasions, central forces personnel played an active role in curbing violence during polling. Though there were sporadic incidents of violence – mostly in Birbhum – there were fewer incidents of booth capturing.

In Birbhum’s Labhpur and Nanoor, central forces personnel took on TMC goons who tried to terrorise voters and capture booths. In Labhpur, central forces jawans were attacked by a group of TMC lumpens with brickbats. Jawans resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.

In Nanoor, TMC workers blocked roads to deter villagers from coming to the polling booth. The jawans were responsible for clearing the blockade.

Polling on the third took place in 7 districts in North Bengal and Birbhum, for 56 assembly constituencies.

Anubrata Mondal’s Theatrics

The focus, however, was on Birbhum’s TMC representative Anubrata Mondal who has earned his reputation by repeatedly harassing the opposition in every election since 2011. This election was no different.

Anubrata continued to issue threats to ordinary voters and opposition party workers. Even after the Election Commission ordered close surveillance and asked a deputy magistrate and videographer to record his every move, he was undaunted.

On Sunday, he went to cast his vote in Bolpur, in a booth near his home around 10:30 am. No member of or from the opposition parties were present in the booth.

Anubrata went into booth, wearing his party’s symbol on his kurta. From there, he went to his party office and sat for a while with his party workers. The magistrate and videographer were not present at this time. “Nobody can keep me under surveillance’’, said Anubrata. 

Actress and BJP leader Locket Chatterjee files her nomination papers at SDM office in Suri of West Bengal’s Birbhum on March 28, 2016. (Photo: IANS)

Under the Watchful Eyes of Central Forces

With the central forces playing a more pro-active role this time, the opposition is upbeat.

Violence did, however, rear its ugly head in Bolpur, Ilambazar, Nanoor, Labhpur, Mayureswar and some other places. But this time it was not a one-sided affair. While BJP and CPI(M) workers were beaten up at some places in Bolpur and Ilambazar, at Nanoor, TMC agents were not allowed to enter around 50 booths.

Nanoor’s Kajal Sheikh, another TMC strongman and Anubrata’s rival, put his strength behind the opposition to ensure the latter’s defeat. A teacher at Visva Bharati who did not wish to be identified, observed that people came out in large numbers to cast their votes in the villages around Santiniketan. He said that this wasn’t the case during the 2014 general election.

Leaders of CPI(M) and the Congress are jubilant. Goutam Ghosh, a CPI(M) leader in Birbhum, said that this time they were more or less satisfied with the role the central forces played.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal during a party meeting at Suri in Birbhum district on 14 April 2016. (Photo: IANS)

Fewer Complaints to the EC

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says the people of Birbhum would give a befitting reply to the terror tactics of the TMC.

BJP leaders, on the other hand, were unhappy with Sunday’s poll in Birbhum. Actor Locket Chatterjee, who is contesting from Birbhum’s Mayureswar, complained that TMC goons captured a number of booths in her constituency. BJP leaders met the Central Election Commission and demanded re-polling in 9 out of the 11 constituencies in Birbhum.

Nevertheless, if the number of complaints that reached the Election Commission on Sunday is any indication, the spread of violence was much smaller compared to the second day of poll.

On 11 April, the EC received 1,878 complaints from 31 assembly constituencies that went to polls that day. On Sunday, the EC had received only 644 complaints by 4 pm.

(The writer is a former Executive Editor, Ananda Bazar Patrika)

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