Crucial by-elections to three Assembly constituencies in West Bengal were held on Monday. About 72% votes were polled in Kharagpur Sadar, Karimpur and Kaliaganj Assembly seats. Apart from one incident of assault on BJP candidate from Karimpur Jay Prakash Majumdar allegedly by Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadres no major incidents of violence took place during the day.
About 7 lakh people will decide the fate 18 candidates in the by-elections. Karimpur recorded the highest turnout (81.23%) followed by Kaliaganj (81.23%) and Kharagpur Sadar ( 67.62%).
Majumdar, also a state BJP vice president, was manhandled and kicked into a bush by miscreants Phipulkhola area of Karimpur in Nadia district.
“They are definitely TMC goons. My injuries will heal with time but the scar on democracy made by Mamata Banerjee’s TMC will remain,” said Majumdar. The BJP candidate also said that he will not get intimidated by such assault. TMC observer in Nadia district Rajib Banerjee denied the allegation and said that the incident was staged.
Sources in the Election Commission (EC) said that EC has sought a report of the incident.
BJP leader Mukul Roy alleged that sensing that defeat in all the three constituencies TMC in collusion with police resorted to such heinous act. He has also written to EC in this regard.
Left Front supported Congress candidate Dhitashree Roy is pitted against BJP’s Kamal Chandra Sarkar and TMC’s Tapan Deb Sinha in Kaliaganj.
In Kharagpur Sadar, TMC’s Pradip Sarkar is pitted against BJP’s Prem Chandra Jha and Chittaranjan Mondal of Congress who is backed by the Left Front.
As for Karimpur BJP’s Jay Prakash Majumdar is contesting against TMC Bimalendu Sigha Roy and CPI(M)’s Gholam Rabbi.
Kharagpur Sadar and Karimpur fell vacant when their respective MLAs BJP’s Dilip Ghosh and TMC’s Mahua Moitra were elected the Lok Sabha. The Kaliaganj seat fell vacant with the death of sitting Congress MLA Pramathanath Roy.
