A spate of violent attacks shadowed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections on Sunday, 19 December, with two crude bombs hurled outside the Taki High School in Sealdah area and Khanna areas of Kolkata, reported PTI. Both the Trinamool Congress and the Congress have blamed each other for the incident.
According to the police, at least three persons were injured in the attacks, of whom one has lost their leg. The police adds that the bombs were hurled by unidentified miscreants.
Later in the day, Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP delegation were stopped outside his Salt Lake residence by Bidhan Nagar Police for over an hour on the grounds of movement restrictions imposed by the state election commission.
However, they were allowed to leave after a short while and reached the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
"It is a murder of democracy. Mamata Banerjee is like Kim (Kim Jong-un) of North Korea. This election should be cancelled. We have documents on fake voting etc," Adhikari was quoted as saying by ANI before meeting Dhankar.
BJP Demands for Re-polling
After the meeting, Adhikari demanded that the KMC election be declared null and void.
"We demand this KMC election be declared null and void. We are ready to submit evidence and video clips in the court hearing on December 23. Rigged Kolkata Police let TMC goons do hooliganism," he said after meeting the Dhankar, reported ANI.
Terming it a 'big lapse in security', he urged for a forensic probe of CCTV footage.
Amid allegations of rigging and demands for re-polling, a BJP-delegation led by Adhikari held a sit-in strike inside the State Election Commissioner Office later on Sunday.
Calling the state election commissioner spineless, he said that the party "will fight on the streets and also legally for this," ANI quoted.
"CM Mamata Banerjee gave directions for the Kolkata Police to remain unarmed and protect TMC goons. They stopped 50% of our polling agents. Only 20% of the voting was true, 40% voters were rigged & each TMC goon voted 8-10 times," he had said earlier.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul called the attacks pre-planned.
"Bombs (crude) were thrown, CCTVs damaged & our booth agent was beaten in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections today. State Election Commission said there's no need for Central Force & the Kolkata Police is enough. Now, what's their answer? It was pre-planned because 98% of the south Kolkata booth regained. This wasn't an election, it was a farce in the name of democracy," she was quoted as saying by ANI.
Later on Sunday, BJP President JP Nadda took to Twitter to state:
What Happened Earlier in the Day?
As of 1 pm, around 38 per cent polling was completed in Kolkata. However, across the city, reports of violence and candidates being prevented from entering booths began pouring in.
In Ward 22, BJP candidate Meena Devi Purohit was allegedly attacked by TMC goons and in Ward 45, Congress’ Santosh Pathak alleged that the TMC brought fake voters, which resulted in a brawl between both the parties.
In Ward 7, policemen allegedly prevented BJP candidate Brajesh Jha from entering the booth, reported The Indian Express. The report added that the CPI(M) also complained that their polling agents and candidates were prevented from entering the booths.
The Congress, according to PTI, alleged that Amitabha Chakraborti, election agent of Pathak, was beaten up by TMC goons inside the booth.
"The incidents of hurling crude bombs and violence in some areas prove that Trinamool's instruction to its candidates was just on pen and paper and nothing was implemented on the ground,”reported PTI, quoting CPI(M) leader Sayandeep Mitra.
State Opposition Holds Protests Outside Police Station
Following the violence across the city, BJP, CPI(M) and Congress workers held a joint protest outside the Bartala Police Station against the TMC, reported The Indian Express.
According to the report, a CPI(M) female stall member was alleged beaten by a TMC polling agent after she protested against false voting by TMC workers.
The report said that the polling staff member was seen bleeding from her mouth and several other female CPI(M) agents were also beaten up.
1,139 of 4,949 Booths 'Sensitive': SEC
A total of 40,48,357 voters were eligible to vote in the Kolkata Municipal Elections, in which over 950 candidates were standing.
According to PTI, more than 23,000 police personnel were deployed across the city to ensure that the voting process was conducted smoothly.
“We are ready to hold a peaceful election. We have the support of the state police force and attempts are being made to ensure that no untoward incident takes place,” reported The Indian Express, quoting Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra.
The Station Election Commission had declared 1,139 polling centres as “sensitive.”
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)