Bengal byelections pass off peacefully; Bhawanipur witnesses low turnout

Kolkata, Sep 30 (UNI) Bhawanipur assembly seat by-poll where chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is contesting recorded only 36 percent voting in first six hours and Nurshidabad’s Shamshergunj and Jangipur assembly seats elections recorded as high 57 and 54 percent respectively upto 1300 hours.
Meanwhile, Ms Banerjee, who is seeking her electoral fortune after her defeat at Nandigram in March-April elections to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, is expected to cast her vote at the Mitra Institution around 1515 hours.
Though the weather was sunny and a bit pleasant after days of rains, the turnout of Bhawanipur voters was poor
compared to the Murshidabad district election for the two assembly seats.
Official sources said while Bhawanipur witnessed a low key affair for the voting, which recorded at 36 percent since the EVMs opened for the electors at 0700 hours .
However, the minority dominated Shamsherganj and Jangipur recorded 57 and 54 percent voting upto 1300 hours.
BJP candidate from Bhawanipur Priyanka Tibrewal has lodged a complaint with the poll body that two ministers of the ruling party were allegedly influencing the voters. Minister Firhad Hakim was seen all over 159AC influencing voters in the morning, Ms Tibrewal alleged.
Later another minister Subrata Mukerjee was also seen at the constituency influencing voters, she alleged.
However , the two ministers denied the charge and said the BJP candidate’s allegation was misleading.
A separate report was also lodged by her as she alleged that “outsiders” were seen inside the booth of Khalsa HS,where TMC and BJP supporters were seen in a push and pull situation before the paramilitary forces dispersed them.
The overall elections in the three assembly seats were peaceful with no major untoward incident so far.