West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited a counting centre in Bhabanipur late at night amid rain, citing concerns over the safety of electronic voting machines (EVMs), triggering political tensions in the area.
Her visit to the facility at Sakhawat Memorial School drew protests from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers stationed outside.
Mamata Alleges ‘Outsider’ Involvement
After spending nearly four hours inside the premises, Banerjee alleged that a युवक from Gujarat had joined BJP workers protesting near the Trinamool Congress convoy.
Showing a video on her phone, she claimed, “The youth who is shouting slogans, screaming, he has come from Gujarat. He is not a local. This is my place. If I want, I can gather 10,000 people.”
She further alleged that the individual was live-streaming the protest and was not even a voter from the Bhabanipur constituency.
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Youth Identifies Himself, Denies Political Links
The youth identified himself as Deep Prajapati and later spoke publicly, rejecting the allegations.
“This is India, I can go anywhere I want. I have come to visit my relatives’ house in West Bengal. I know the situation here very well. So I protested after seeing it,” he said.
When asked about political affiliation, he clarified that he was not associated with any party and had acted independently.
TMC-BJP Confrontation Outside Strongroom
The incident comes days before vote counting, with tensions escalating outside strongrooms. Leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), including Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja, staged a protest near the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleging that outsiders had been brought into the premises.
BJP leaders, including Tapas Roy and Santosh Pathak, also reached the site, leading to a heated slogan exchange between the two sides.
ALSO READ: ECI Rejects TMC’s Strong Room Tampering Claims Amid Kolkata Protest
Election Commission Rejects Tampering Claims
Amid the escalating political confrontation, the Election Commission of India moved to clarify the situation.
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated, “No outsiders entered there. There was no malicious intent. Nothing was done outside the statutory rules.”
The Commission reiterated that all EVMs and ballot materials remain secure.
Although polling concluded largely peacefully, the developments underscore heightened political sensitivity ahead of counting day. With competing allegations and counterclaims, authorities have stepped up monitoring at strongrooms across the state to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
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