West Bengal panchayat polls: Polling agent killed in attack, claims BJP

Two separate incidences of violence during voting for West Bengal’s single-phase panchayat elections on Saturday resulted in the deaths of a booth agent for an independent candidate and a polling agent for the BJP. According to reports, the booth agent for an independent candidate was allegedly murdered in Piragachha of the North 24 Parganas district. Abdullah, the deceased, has been recognised, and villagers claim that the “murder” was carried out by the spouse of a Trinamool Congress candidate. Locals protested and blocked roads while calling for the arrest of the culprits. Police were dispatched by the authorities to quell any unrest. In reference to the second incident, BJP candidate Maya Barman asserted that Trinamool Congress “goons” bombed his agent, causing his “death.” The event happened at a voting place in Cooch Behar’s Falimari gramme panchayat. According to reports, voting has been suspended at the booth as a result of the attack. “TMC goons hurled a bomb at my agent and killed him. They also attacked me, " alleged BJP candidate Maya Barman, who also sustained injuries in the reported attack, and was taken to a hospital for treatment. As per the information, the deceased agent has been identified as Madhav Vishwas, Barman said. Trinamool Congress had earlier claimed that three of its party’s members had been killed in a number of violent events in West Bengal after voting for the state’s single-phase panchayat elections got under way on Saturday morning. A single phase of the panchayat elections is now taking place, with the vote count set on July 11. The BJP and the TMC, which control local governments, are expected to engage in a fierce power struggle in the elections, which will serve as a litmus test for both parties before the Lok Sabha elections next year. Nearly 928 seats in 22 zilla parishads, 9,730 panchayat samiti seats, and 63,239 gramme panchayat seats will be decided by approximately 5.67 crore voters using their right to vote. West Bengal has 3,341 gram panchayats and the number of village panchayat election centres is 58,594. There are 63,239 seats at the Gram Panchayat level, 9730 at Panchayat Samiti and 928 at the Zila Parishad level. (With agency inputs)