West Bengal witnessed a resurgence of political violence on Friday as Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri constituencies in north Bengal went to polls in Phase 1 of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress accused each other of perpetrating violence, injuring their poll agents and workers, and disrupting the electoral process in the State.
A total of 37 candidates, including Union Minister of State for Home and BJP leader Nisith Pramanik, who is contesting from Cooch Behar, are in the fray in the three constituencies of West Bengal.
In Alipurduar constituency, senior BJP leader Manoj Tigga is fighting the Trinamool Congress’ Prakash Chik Baraik. The Left Front has nominated Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Mili Oraon as its candidate.
In Cooch Behar constituency, the Union Minister of State for Home Nisith Pramanik is taking on the Trinamool’s Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia in Cooch Behar (SC) seat, which saw the death of four persons in firing allegedly by Central forces at Sitalkuchi during the 2021 Assembly elections, that has been made an issue by the Trinamool Congress in the current poll campaign also.
The Election Commission decided not to deploy any CISF personnel there, since its personnel were accused of firing in Sitalkuchi.
The Jalpaiguri constituency is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs). In the first phase of voting, Dr. Jayanta Kumar Roy, the incumbent MP from the BJP, is fighting against Nirmal Chandra Roy of the Trinamool Congress and Debraj Barman representing the CPI-M.
In Cooch Behar, both the Trinamool Congress and BJP claimed attacks on their party workers.
Two incidents have come up where workers from both parties have been hospitalised.
The ruling Trinamool Congress has written a letter to the Election Commission alleging that Nishith Pramanik is utilising his position and storing arms in his party office.
The longstanding rivalry between Pramanik and the Trinamool Congress’ Dinhata MLA and North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha contributed to the palpable tension in Cooch Behar over the elections.
BJP candidate from Cooch Behar Nisith Pramanik, while addressing the media on Saturday said: “This time the win will be for the people. No matter what gundagardi TMC does, the win will be for BJP.”
While the BJP alleged Trinamool Congress’ involvement in a stone-pelting incident in Chandmari village and across, the Trinamool Congress slammed the BJP for resorting to outright voter suppression from Sitalkuchi to Sitai.
In a post of X, the Trinamool Congress said: “Shame on the BJP! In their desperation to cling to power, they’re resorting to outright voter suppression. Reports pouring in from booths 59, Andaran Phulbari-II, Tufanganj, and Cooch Behar reveal that BJP goons are obstructing voters from casting their ballots.”
It further added: “Our MP candidate, Jagadish Chandra Basunia, visited Sitai, Cooch Behar, to assess the dire situation. BJP thugs have shamelessly vandalised our camp there, leaving a trail of destruction.”
Meanwhile, taking to X (formerly Twitter), BJP West Bengal too slammed the Trinamool Congress for its alleged involvement in the incidents that have sparked violence. The BJP has called on the Election Commission to take stringent action against perpetrators involved in the incident.
“When elections arrive, violence shadows West Bengal yet again! Even in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, the ominous presence of Trinamool violence persists. From Chandmari to elsewhere, voters were intimidated by brick showers, which prevented them from polling booths. Terrorism fueled by fear of Trinamool’s defeat cannot be tolerated. Urging the @ECISVEEP to act swiftly against these perpetrators,” the party said.