A heated clash broke out between workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) during the ongoing Lok Sabha Election Phase 4 voting in West Bengal's Durgapur constituency on Monday, May 13. The confrontation escalated as both parties accused each other of attempting to influence voters and disrupting the polling process.
According to TMC leader Ram Prasad Haldar, tensions rose early in the day as BJP workers, allegedly accompanied by central forces, attempted to sway voters. Haldar stated, "Since 6 am, these (BJP) people have been coming with the central forces and trying to influence the voters. We protested against it, and voters also protested... They are trying to bring polling agents from outside... People of the area are opposing them here."
Clash Broke Out Between BJP and TMC Workers
Responding to these allegations, BJP MLA Laxman Ghorui claimed that their polling agents were forcefully ejected from the polling booth situated at TN School in Durgapur. Ghorui named Alpana Mukherjee from booth number 22, Somnath Mandal from booth number 83, and Rahul Sahni from booth number 82 as individuals who were repeatedly expelled from the polling booth by what he described as "TMC goons."
"Our polling agents were repeatedly thrown out of the polling booth located at TN School in Durgapur. Alpana Mukherjee from booth number 22, Somnath Mandal from booth number 83 and Rahul Sahni from booth number 82 were repeatedly thrown out of the polling booth by TMC goons," said BJP MLA.
Earlier on Monday, Dilip Ghosh alleged that goons of TMC were not letting the polling agents enter the booths.
Dilip Ghosh said, "When I went to villages, women asked me with folded hands if they would be able to cast their votes or not. It is their (TMC) habit to threaten people who want to cast their votes. The goons of TMC are not letting the polling agents enter the booths, including the presiding officer. Yesterday night, they threatened people in certain areas not to come out to vote. I hope the situation will improve and voting will be done smoothly. I will reach the places wherever required."
Earlier, on the eve of phase 4 polling in the Lok Sabha elections, a TMC worker was killed in a bomb attack in Ketugram in the East Burdwan district. According to ABP Ananda, the deceased was identified as Mintu Sheikh. He was attacked while he was returning from election work.
Eight seats in West Bengal have gone to the polls today. Voting for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 96 Parliamentary Constituencies across nine states and one Union Territory began on Monday at 7:00 am.