Kolkata | Polling at eight Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal remained “peaceful” as 16.68 percent of 1,33,69,749 voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of voting during the sixth phase on Sunday, an election official said.
Polling is underway in Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram (ST), Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur (SC) constituencies. “Polling is very peaceful. It is going fine. Our officials are keeping a close watch on the polling process,” he said.
There were, however, reports of attack on BJP’s Ghatal candidate, former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, when she tried to enter a polling booth in Keshpur.
Ghosh’s convoy was also attacked afterwards when locals started pelting stones after she tried to enter another polling station and one of her security guards was injured.
“This is not for the first time that Bharati Ghosh was attacked. Since the TMC failed to stop her politically, it is trying to physically harm her,” BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said.
When contacted, a senior official of the state CEO said a report was sought from the district magistrate in this connection.
The CEO also sought a report after Ghosh was seen videographying inside a polling booth at Pikuda in Keshpur.
In the Tamluk seat, the BJP has fielded Siddhartha Shankar Naskar against sitting TMC MP Dibyendu Adhikari. The Left Front constituent CPI(M) has nominated Sk Ibrahim Ali, while the Congress has nominated Lakshman Seth, who was earlier in CPI(M).
In Kanthi, TMC MP Sisir Adhikari is contesting against BJP’s Dr Debasis Samanta. The Congress has nominated Deepak Kumar Das and the CPI(M) nominated Paritosh Pattanayak.
In the Ghatal Lok Sabha seat, TMC’s sitting candidate Deepak Adhikari (actor Dev), will lock horns with BJP’s Bharati Ghosh, a former IPS officer. The Congress has nominated Khandakar Md Saifullah and the Left Front constituent CPI has nominated Tapan Ganguli.
In the Jhargram (ST) seat, TMC’s Birbaha Soren (Tudu) will contest against Kunar Hembram of BJP. The Congress has fielded Jageswar Hembram and the CPI(M)’s candidate is Deblina Hembram.
Manas Ranjan Bhunia is TMC’s candidate from the Medinipur seat and he is contesting against BJP’s state president Dilip Ghosh. The Congress has nominated Sambhunath Chattopadhyay, while the Left Front constituent CPI has fielded Biplab Bhatta.
In Purulia, sitting MP Mriganka Mahato of the TMC will contest against BJP’s Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato. The Left Front constituent All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) has nominated Bir Singh Mahato and the Congress has fielded Nepal Mahato.
In Bankura, TMC’s Subrata Mukherjee will contest against Dr Subhas Sarkar of the BJP. The CPI(M) has fielded Amiya Patra. This seat will witness a triangular contest.
Shyamal Santra of the TMC will contest from Bishnupur (SC) seat against BJP’s Saumitra Khan. The CPI(M) has nominated Sunil Khan and the Congress has fielded Narayan Chandra Khan from there.
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