Highest voter turnout in Bengal's history; Another watershed moment in WB politics?

NEW DELHI: Like the first phase, West Bengal witnessed record polling in the second phase on Wednesday. According to the latest report, the polling reached a record 91.66 per cent by the end of the day. Voting was held in 142 constituencies. The first phase of polling in 152 constituencies recorded a voter turnout of 91.78 per cent. The two phases combined recorded a voter turnout of 92.47 per cent. This is the highest voter turnout in the state's history (old record: 2011- 84.72 per cent).

60 per cent of the 3.21 crore voters cast their votes within one hour of yesterday's noon. Trinamool had won all 123 of the constituencies where voting was held yesterday in 2021. Despite the heavy presence of the central forces, widespread violence continued unabated.

BJP alleged that the button of their candidate in the voting machine was covered with tape in some booths in Falta in Diamond Harbour in South Parganas district. The polling was then stopped. The BJP demanded repolling. The Trinamool alleged that the Election Commission's observer, Prayagraj ACP Ajay Pal Sharma, popularly known as ‘UP Singam’, behaved in a biased manner. Sharma is deputed in Diamond Harbour, a stronghold of Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The party alleged that Sharma had threatened Trinamool candidate Jahangir Khan and even tried to arrest him. The Trinamool workers called BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari a thief when he visited the booth in Kalighat, which led to clashes. The Central Force lathi-charged the Trinamool-BJP workers. Following Suvendu's complaint, the Election Commission ordered that people should not gather at the booths.

A bag containing bombs was recovered near a polling booth in Ketugram constituency in Purba Bardhaman.

📦 Trinamool workers tried to attack and hurled obscene language at Ratna Debnath, BJP candidate from Panihati and mother of the RG Kar Medical College murder victim

📦 A BJP booth agent in Nadia district was attacked with iron rods and guns by unidentified persons at 6 am

“People were unable to vote as the state police were removed from the booths and the central forces were deployed. The central forces took sides. Trinamool workers were searched and arrested. Will come to power with a two-thirds majority,” said Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.