West Bengal panchayat polls: 11 killed in fresh violence; ballots set ablaze

Eleven people were killed in election-related violence in West Bengal since midnight as voting was underway for the three-tier panchayat polls in the state on Saturday (July 8), officials said.

Among those killed were six TMC members, and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress and ISF, and another person whose political identity could not be known, they said

Reports of ballot boxes being burnt are also coming in from across the state.

Polling started in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates, they said.

Long queues outside polling booths were seen as early as 6 am with people turning out early amid intermittent rains.

BJP polling agent Madhab Biswas was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district, they said. The BJP alleged that when Biswas tried to enter the polling booth he was stopped by TMC supporters, and as the situation escalated, they killed him. The TMC denied the allegations.

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The supporter of an Independent candidate died in Kadambagachi area in North 24 Paraganas district after he was beaten up overnight, police said. The deceased was identified as 41-year-old Abdullah. He died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital in the morning, Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Mukherjee said.

Protesting against the killing, locals blocked the Taki Road in the early hours but they were removed by the police.

Overnight violence

A TMC worker was killed in Murshidabad district’s Kapasdanga area overnight in poll-related violence. The deceased was identified as Babar Ali, officials said. The ruling TMC said that two of its workers were killed in Rejinagar and Khargram in Murshidabad district, and another person in Tufanganj in Coochbehar district.

“The polling started peacefully, but Congress, BJP and CPI(M) are attacking TMC workers since last night. Three of our workers have died in Rejinagar, Tufanganj and Khargram. And, two of our workers were injured in Domkal. Where are the central forces?” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asked.

The brother of a TMC leader was killed in a clash with Congress supporters in Malda district, police said. The incident happened in Jisharattola in Manikchak police station area. The deceased was identified as Malek Sheikh, they said.

The TMC alleged that the husband of one of its candidates was shot at in Nadia district’s Narayanpur area by CPI(M) supporters, a charge denied by the opposition party.

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Allegations of attempts to loot ballot boxes and attack on voters were made by all the parties. Clashes were also reported from other parts of the state. CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim shared a video of open ballot boxes lying in the field, tweeting, “Vote is over! Condition of the ballots, ballot boxes in one of the booths. Btw this pic is from Diamond Harbour.”

At least 600 companies of central forces have been deployed for the elections along with around 70,000 state police

The election assumes significance for political parties as it will serve as an opportunity for them to assess their organisational strengths and weaknesses ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, besides broadly outlining the mood of the state after two years of the TMC government’s third consecutive term.

There are 63,229 gram panchayat seats and 9,730 panchayat samiti seats in 22 districts, while 928 zilla parishad seats in 20 districts as Darjeeling and Kalimpong have a two-tier system with Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and Siliguri Sub-divisional Council at the top.

The ruling TMC is contesting all the 928 seats in zilla parishads, 9,419 seats in panchayat samitis and 61,591 seats in gram panchayats. The BJP has fielded candidates in 897 zilla parishad seats, 7,032 panchayat samiti seats and 38,475 seats in gram panchayats.

The CPI(M) is fighting 747 zilla parishad seats, 6,752 panchayat samiti seats and 35,411 gram panchayat seats. The Congress is contesting 644 zilla parishad seats, 2,197 panchayat samiti seats and 11,774 gram panchayat seats.

Urging people to vote without fail, Governor CV Ananda Bose on Friday said he would be on the streets along with his team during polling. He is scheduled to visit Barrackpore and Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district, and parts of Nadia district.

Also Read: WB panchayat polls: Mamata accuses BSF of intimidating voters

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee led the ruling party’s campaign, which revolved around the development initiatives undertaken by the state government and the MGNREGA funds stopped by the Centre.

The campaign by the opposition parties — BJP, CPI(M) and the Congress — mainly focussed on the allegations of corruption, from the panchayat level to the teachers’ recruitment at the state level, and political violence.

BJP attacks TMC for poll violence

The BJP on Saturday (July 8) attacked the TMC government in West Bengal, alleging that the state under its rule has become a tragic example of violence in democracy.

Hitting out at the TMC over violence during the panchayat elections, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters that the state used to be a centre of art, culture and science. Now, it is known for “crimes, anti-national activities and dangerous appeasement”.

He alleged that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government has been using criminals for violence during the elections by giving them protection.

Members of the BJP and the Left-Congress combine have been killed and such a situation has emerged that different factions of the TMC are attacking each other, Trivedi alleged.
Violence has been going on in Bengal for years. It is not only continuing but gradually rising, he said.

Taking a swipe at the BJP’s critics, Trivedi said they cannot see these murders in their opposition to the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The situation in Bengal is a lot like in Bihar of the 1990s, Trivdei said, accusing the TMC of tainting the polls with blood. The state government’s actions have been exposed through Constitutional means, he said.

(With agency inputs)