The by-elections to the Asansol Lok Sabha seat and Ballygunge Assembly seat in West Bengal on Tuesday witnessed low polling percentage.
Ballygunge registered 41.01 % polling, while at Asansol it was 64.07 % till 5 p.m. Though the percentage is likely to rise when the final figures come, for West Bengal that records high voting, the poll percentage was relatively low.
Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Minister Firhad Hakim said the low polling could be because of hot and humid conditions and the holy month of Ramzan. Despite low polling, the party was convinced of victory in both the seats, he claimed.
Stray incidents of violence
There were some stray incidents of violence at Asansol, where a vehicle of BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul was attacked at Barabani. Ms. Paul alleged that her agent was not allowed to enter a polling booth, and when she arrived, her vehicle was attacked. For almost half an hour, media persons were prevented from following her vehicle. She said media was prevented from accompanying her as per instructions from the Chief Minister, who “influenced the District Magistrate”.
Ms. Paul is contesting against Trinamool Congress’s Shatrughan Sinha. Mr. Sinha refrained to make any comments on her allegations. The election at Asansol have been necessitated due to the resignation of BJP MP Babul Supriyo from the party. He joined the TMC last year. The CPI(M) has fielded Partha Mukherjee from the seat.
Ballygunge is going to the polls because of the death of Trinamool Congress MLA and former Minister Subrata Mukherjee. Mr. Supriyo is contesting as the TMC candidate and is pitted against the BJP’s Keya Ghosh and the CPI(M)‘s Sairah Shah Halim. The counting of votes for the two constituencies is scheduled on April 16.
