West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021: Special security for Nandigram on May 2 telegraphindia.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from telegraphindia.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The polling rate in Nandigram was relatively lower than other parts of the state that polled on the same day April 1, till 3.30 pm, but the final voter turnout data reveals that the polling percentage in Nandigram was among the highest in the state of the 60 seats that have gone to polls in the first two phases.
According to the Election Commission of India’s final data, 88.01% of Nandigram’s voters cast their ballots. The average share for the 30 seats in four district that polled on the same day stood at 86.11%.
On a tense polling day, Nandigram’s polling percentage till 3.30 pm stood at 69.53%, which was lower than the state average (71.07%) and the district average (71.89%) till that time. However, by 5 pm, Nandigram’s poll percentage had crossed 80.
BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari did not change his spots on polling day as he moved around Nandigram on Thursday sporting a rare bravado but not forgetting to play the polarisation card at every possible opportunity.
“(She is a) 66-year-old aunty. Aunty ko thoda shaant rehna chahiye (aunty should keep her cool)… (She) shouldn’t resort to Gundagiri (hooliganism). Vikas (development) will win, appeasement politics will lose…Begum will lose,” Suvendu told journalists and the comment drew cheers of “Jai Shri Ram” from BJP supporters gathered around him.
Suvendu was referring to chief minister Mamata Banerjee with whom he parted ways a little over four months ago.
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Opinion | Nandigram: Who threatened villagers on voting day?
On polling day in Nandigram, we showed on India TV, how villagers, both men and women, fearing for their lives, were walking towards the polling booth near their village, with central security forces accompanying them. These men and women named some local Trinamool leaders, who had threatened them not to come out of their homes and vote. This was how a reign of terror had been created in Nandigram, where the Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee is fighting a raging battle to save her political existence.
Till now, we had been only hearing news of Trinamool leaders threatening people not to attend BJP rallies in Bengal, we used to hear how villagers never trusted the local police, but after a long time, people have mustered courage to come out and vote, with central security forces protecting them. Till now, we used to take all accusations made by BJP leaders against TMC about beatings and killings, with
Trinamul failed to depute polling agents in at least 28 booths in Nandigram an unprecedented no-show by ruling party polling agents in a seat where their party supremo Mamata Banerjee is pitted against turncoat Suvendu Adhikari amid murmurs of the saffron camp’s money and muscle power.
Trinamul insiders alleged that though there were a few instances of polling agents not turning up because of BJP’s threats, in other cases polling agents were “hand in glove” with the saffron camp.
“This is unprecedented after we came to power in Bengal in 2011,” said a source.
A polling agent in a booth is vital for a party as the person looks after the entire poll process with a right to object if any malpractice is reported. The absence of a polling agent gives an advantage to rivals.