A BJP booth in Midnapore was found burnt in the morning. (ANI)
Amid the polling for West Bengal local body elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Sunday alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) "goons burnt down a booth in Midnapore municipality".
The TMC, however, refuted the BJP charges.
Speaking to ANI, BJP vice president of the Midnapore unit, Sankar K Guchhait, said, "A BJP workers' tent near booth no 183 in Midnapore municipality of ward number eight was found burnt in the morning. This incident took place last night."
He alleged that no police arrived on the spot to take stock of the situation. "I condemn the TMC government for the incident," he said.
Reacting to this, the TMC president of the West Midnapore district, Sujoy Hazra, told ANI that this is a false and baseless allegation.
"This is a false and baseless allegation. There was a clash among the BJP leaders. The TMC does not promote violence. We work for the public welfare," said Hazra.
Voting for 108 municipalities across West Bengal began at 7 am on Sunday.
The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the West Bengal State Election Commission.
About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors in 2,276 wards spread over 108 municipalities.
The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.