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Bengal's
'red fort' faces challenge as voting begins Monday
Will West
Bengal's 34-year-old "red fort" crumble in a combined Trinamool
Congress-Congress charge? Over 56 million voters will provide the
answer when the state ruled by the world's longest serving
communist-led government in » |
Kolkata/Siliguri:
In one of the most incident-free elections witnessed in politically
volatile West Bengal in recent years, 70 percent of electors cast
their votes peacefully in the first phase of the assembly polls
Monday, officials said.
There were long queues and polling was brisk in the 54
constituencies spread over the six northern districts - Darjeeling,
Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda -
with over 97 lakh eligible voters.
"Around 70 percent polling has been reported till 5 p.m., when the
scheduled time got over. However, as many people were still waiting
outside a few polling stations for their turn to vote, polling will
continue there for some more time," said Joint Chief Electoral
Officer Dibyendu Sarkar.
Candidates had very few reasons to complain, as people lined up
attired in their best to vote - from the hill station of Darjeeling
in the state's northern tip to Malda, famed for its mouthwatering
mangoes.
Enthusiasm was high as first time voters and old-timers voted in
strength to choose their representatives from among 364 candidates
on the maiden leg of the six-phase staggered polling that would end
May 10.
The ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front
faces the biggest ever challenge of its 34 years rule from the
Trinamool Congress-Congress combine in the polls.
"Polling was completely peaceful. There were no untoward incidents,"
Inspector General of Police Ranbir Kumar told IANS.
However, there was a vote boycott in six polling booths of Malda
district and two other booths in South Dinajpur district on local
issues like lack of development, said Joint Chief Electoral Officer
Dibyendu Sarkar.
A presiding officer of a booth in South Dinajpur's Harirampur
constituency was removed for violating the poll code, he said.
According to sources in the CEO's office, Jalpaiguri recorded 67
percent polling, Malda 68.42, Cooch Behar 74.3, and South Dinajpur
74.33 percent. Polling percentage in Darjeeling was 70 percent and
North Dinajpur was around 67.03 percent.
Polling began at 7 a.m. In some places, people cast their vote in
candlelight due to power cuts, and in a few polling booths
electronic voting machines (EVMs) malfunctioned but were set right
soon.
The fate of 11 ministers of the Left Front was decided during
Monday's poll.
"There were complaints of electronic voting machines malfunctioning
in two-three booths of some districts. The machines were replaced
soon and the poll process is going smoothly. There were no reports
of any violence or disturbances," said Sarkar.
"Paramilitary troopers were posted in all 12,131 polling booths, of
which 1,800 have been identified as critical. The election officials
in the CEO's office are directly monitoring the polling process in
150 out of 1,800 critical booths," said Sarkar.
Authorities deployed 548 companies of central paramilitary forces in
the districts to face any eventuality, a police officer said.
The CPI-M is contesting 32 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI)
two, Forward Bloc 10, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) nine,
Socialist Party one, the Trinamool Congress 26, the Congress 27,
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) one, and the Bharatiya Janata Party
49.
Also in the fray are the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in three
constituencies, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) in three,
and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League in three.
Of the 54 constituencies, 16 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and
eight for Scheduled Tribes.
Polling for West Bengal's 294 seats will be held in six phases. The
next phases are April 23 (50 constituencies), April 27 (75), May 3
(63), May 7 (38) and May 10 (14). The votes will be counted May 13.
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