Of states having polls, only Bengal reported violence, says Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday said that of the four states and one union territory where assembly elections were held, incidents of violence were reported only from West Bengal and the BJP and the TMC are responsible for it.

Chowdhury, the West Bengal Congress president, however, told reporters that such incidents were fewer in West Bengal this time in the concluded three phases, thanks to the efforts of the Election Commission (EC).

"Apart from West Bengal, three other states and one union territory are going through the polling process but one can hear incidents like attempt to capture booths, bloodshed and attacks only from our state," he said.

Five candidates, including two women, were attacked allegedly by workers of rival parties in West Bengal during the third phase of polling on Tuesday, even as Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee alleged 'blatant misuse' of central forces to 'influence voters'.

Chowdhury, also the Leader of Congress party in the Lok Sabha, said that personnel of the central forces alone cannot prevent every single untoward incident during the polling and the onus also lies with the state police.

He also claimed that the Left-Congress-ISF alliance is cementing its position as the third force in West Bengal but it is not being highlighted.

The rally of the alliance at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on February 28 saw a spontaneous turnout of the people to fight the "fascist and undemocratic" forces, he said.

However, the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the same place a week later had luxury, ostentation and power written all over it, the Congress leader claimed.

It is interesting that both the TMC and the BJP are stating that their target is 200 seats in the election, he said