Bengal on Monday recorded a brisk polling amid reports of some stray violence coming from five districts that went to the 7th phase of polling on Monday.
The State recorded about 74 percent polling when reports last came in at 5 pm with nine about 80.30 and 80.21 percent voters casting their votes in Murshidabad and South Dinajpur districts. While Malda witnessed 78.86 percent polling about 70.34 percent voters exercised their franchise in West Burdwan. In South Kolkata the rate of polling was low at 59.91 percent.
While there was no major report of violence coming from any place the TMC and BJP blamed each other for jamming booths and rigging at Asansol, Raninagar and Malda. At Farakka a TMC supporter was allegedly stabbed by the BJP men, sources said.
At Jamuria Left candidate and JNU students’ leader Aishe Ghosh alleged that the Left voters were being stopped by the Trinamool goons from going to the polling booth. Later the central forces escorted the voters to the booth. Reports of some disturbance came in from Suti in Murshidabad too, sources said.
Elections will take place for 34 Assembly seats across 5 districts --- of South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, West Burdwan and Kolkata South --- across North and South Bengal. The Election Commission deployed 89,600 paramilitary personnel to ensure free and fair elections.