Thaindian News

Kolkata, May 3 (IANS) West Bengal’s ruling Left Front Tuesday accused opposition Trinamool Congress of terrorising voters during the fourth phase of assembly polls, and said that the “incidents” have raised a question mark over the security arrangements made by the Election Commission (EC).

Alleging that the Left Front polling agents were not allowed to sit in booths, the combine’s chairman Biman Bose said: “We had earlier expressed our concerns regarding Nandigram, Khejuri, Kanthi Uttar areas of the district to the commission…It should have taken more foolproof steps.”

“During the first three phases, except in one case, the Election Commission’s arrangements had not triggered any questions. But after the incidents at Nandigram, the security arrangements made by the EC have raised questions.”

“Some people, after casting their votes, were detained in Nandigram by Trinamool Congress activists as they felt that these people had voted for us. The Left Front polling agents were not allowed to sit in 98 booths across four districts which went for polls today. In East Midnapore alone, there were 63 booths where Left Front polling agents were not allowed to sit,” said Bose.

He alleged that voters had been terrorised in Burdwan district as well.

“In some places of Tarekeswar assembly area, voters have been threatened by them. This kind of thing had not happened in the previous three phases,” he said.

A total of 84.55 percent polling was recorded in the fourth round of polls Tuesday, an Election Commission official said.

Elections were held in 63 constituencies of three districts - Howrah, Hooghly and East Midnapore - and parts of Burdwan to decide the fate of 366 candidates.