Bhabanipur bypoll: Tension erupts after BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal’s fake voter claim

Polling was more or less peaceful except a few sporadic incidents in the constituency where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal and CPI-M candidate Srijib Biswas.

After the alleged fake voter was identified, ruckus broke out outside the polling booth as the voter said he was a resident of Bansdroni and was not carrying any identity proof to prove that he was a voter of Bhabanipur Constituency. Both Trinamool Congress and BJP workers clashed outside the school after the alleged fake voter was caught.

“The Police did not take any action was a silent onlooker to the incident. He did not take any action against the fake voter. One Gurmeet Singh, who is Trinamool Hindi cell secretary, came to the fake voter’s rescue and helped him to leave the school premises,” BJP sources claimed.

“Apart from Khalsa, there is an attempt to booth jamming in other locations by Trinamool MLA Madan Mitra,” BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal claimed.

Central forces was deployed to Khalsa High School to control the situation. Complaint has been lodged in EC. EC said that they are keeping a watch on the incident.

Apart from Bhabanipur Constituency by-poll, polling is underway in Murshidabad’s Samserganj and Jangipur, as polls were not conducted due to death of the candidates and pandemic.

Till 1 PM, in the morning 35.97 % polling was reported in Bhabanipur, while it was much higher 53.78 % in Jangipur and 57.15 % in Samserganj. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had cast her vote at Mitra Institution. Her nephew and Trinamool National general secretary Abhisek Banerjee also cast his vote.

Meanwhile, BJP has also complained against Trinamool Minister Firhad Hakim and Minister Subrata Mukerjee, who have been allegedly seen all over the constituency influencing the voters. “This is in gross violation of the provisions of the Rules. These two ministers should be immediately detained in a PS outside the area of this constituency till at least the polling process is over,” BJP said as it filed complaint against them to the EC.

Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, complained that BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal has been travelling in the Constituency with 20 vehicles.