Political Parties Alleged 'Match Fixing' Between BJP, TMC

Kolkata: Expressing displeasure over the performance of Election Commission and the central forces during the polls in West Bengal on Monday, Opposition parties alleged "match fixing" between BJP and TMC, which, it said helped the ruling party to let lose a reign of terror.

"In some places people have voted freely and fairly. In some places people couldn't do so because of the reign of terror let loose by TMC goons. The central forces and the Election Commission were mute spectators," West Bengal Left Front Chairman Biman Bose alleged. I He said the central forces were "inactive" due to the "match fixing".

"The match fixing between BJP and TMC is clear from today's inactiveness of the central forces and Election Commission. We have written to Election Commission of India and urged it to take necessary steps. Although people could vote freely in some places by defeating the reign of terror but many booths in Keshpur, Garbeta, Sabang, Pingla and many other places were captured and rigged," Mr Bose said.

WBPCC President Adhir Chowdhury too came down heavily on the functioning of the Election Commission.

"Polling today had been reduced to a farce and Congress will seek repoll. The central force sent for the poll duty are not working properly. Votes were looted at Sabang and Kulti.

"This is a new game of Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee. This is a election to take away the rights of the masses," Mr Chowdhury said.

"We have seen how terror was unleashed today. We are meeting the EC tomorrow in New Delhi and will request it to take stern action," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said.

A CPI(M) agent was allegedly beaten up by TMC workers and obstructed from entering a polling booth, while bombs were found in two bags near another booth in Jamuria constituency in Burdwan district where polling was held on Monday.

A police official said two CPI(M) agents were obstructed from entering booth numbers 76 and 77 of Jamuria seat, just as polling began at 7 am. One of the agents sustained head injury after he was beaten up allegedly by TMC workers.

Over 71 per cent votes were cast during the day in part two of the first phase polling in 31 constituencies in West Bengal spread over three districts, EC sources said.