As the polling began for the sixth phase on Sunday, a scuffle broke out between TMC and BJP workers at polling booth number 254 in Bankura, West Bengal, after BJP alleged rigging by TMC workers.
Police had to interfere in order to disperse the two groups who were on the verge of clashing.
#WestBengal: Scuffle between @BJP4India workers and @AITCofficial workers at polling booth number 254 in Bankura after BJP alleged rigging by TMC workers. #LokSabhaEelctions2019 #Phase6 #IndiaDecides2019 https://t.co/bnV9XVkdM9 pic.twitter.com/8IHel5Y0UC
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) May 12, 2019
Earlier in the day, BJP also accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers of attacking vehicles in the convoy of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP candidate from Ghatal, Bharati Ghosh, and of obstructing her entry at a polling booth in Keshpur.
#WestBengal Chief Electoral Officer has sought a report from District Magistrate of Ghatal on attack on @BJP4India candidate Bharati Ghosh’s convoy earlier today pic.twitter.com/ZuUFUALoAf
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) May 12, 2019
The state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has sought a report from District Magistrate of Ghatal in the matter.
Elections in West Bengal have been marred with instances of violence, despite the presence of central security forces, with both BJP and TMC accusing each other of rigging, interfering in polling booths and threatening each other cadres.
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Ghosh, a former IPS officer turned politician had arrived at the booth alleging that BJP polling agents were not being allowed to sit at the booth in Keshpur. She was, however, surrounded and heckled by female workers of TMC who tried to prevent her from entering the booth. The attack on her convoy resulted in severe injuries to one of her security personnel.
Ghosh is taking on sitting MP and Bengali actor-turned-lawmaker Deepak Adhikari from TMC.
Polling is underway for the sixth phase of elections in the country for 59 Lok Sabha seats, including seven in Delhi, eight in Bihar, 10 in Haryana, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal and four in Jharkhand.
Results of the seven-phase elections will be declared on May 23.
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(With ANI inputs)