Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in the fifth phase of West Bengal election. This year, West Bengal assembly election, is a high-pitched battle between TMC, which is looking forward to a third term, and BJP intending to make inroads into the state.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Incidents of violence

A clash broke out between TMC and BJP supporters, in the Shantinagar area of Bidhanagar with both sides accusing each other of stopping the voters from going to the polling booths. Officials said that bricks and stones were hurled, injuring eight people.

A scuffle broke out between TMC and CPI (M) supporters outside a polling booth, in Siliguri.

The TMC alleged that personnel of the central forces were asking voters to go back, a charge rubbished by the authorities, in Santipur in the Nadia district.

TMC and BJP supporters clashed after the opposition party alleged that voters were being prevented from going to the booths, in Bijpur in North 24 Parganas.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

On Saturday, BJP met the election commission in Kolkata. The delegation of BJP led by Swapan Dasgupta met the ECI and urged the CEO to take note of an audio clip, in which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is proposing to hold a rally with regards to the firing victims of Cooch Behar. The BJP leaders underlined that this could lead to more tension in that region during the election.

It is worthwhile to note that Dilip Ghosh of BJP in a rally had stated that there would be more Sitalkuchi like incidents, which had drawn notice from the election commission of India. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has alleged that her phone is being tapped and said that she will order a CID probe into it. In the fifth phase, TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty cast her vote at a polling booth in Jalpaiguri. West Bengal has registered a 68.33 percent voter turnout till 3 pm.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

After the fifth-phase, the sixth phase for 43 seats will be held on April 22, seventh phase on April 26 for 36 seats and the last and eighth phase would be on April 29 for 35 seats. The results of the election will be declared after vote counting on May 02.