2nd Phase of WB Polls: 80pc turnout recorded amid sporadic clashes

An estimated 80 percent turnout was recorded despite sporadic violence and stray street clashes in the polling for the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections for 30 seats.

The 30 seats include the high-profile Nandigram constituency where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is fighting a fierce battle with former lieutenant Subhendu Adhikary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The turnout was estimated by Election Commission sources at 80 percent.

A turnout of 43 percent was recorded till 5:30pm local time.

A ruling Trinamool Congress worker, identified as Uttam Dolui, was stabbed to death late last night in Keshpur area in Paschim Medinipur district, hours before polling started in the area.

The vehicle of Tanmay Ghosh, BJP candidate from Keshpur assembly constituency, was vandalised allegedly by supporters of Trinamool Congress, police said.

Three persons have been arrested in connection with the incident in which an unidentified group of people attacked Ghosh's vehicle with bricks and bamboo sticks, and also vandalised cars of media personnel, a police officer said.

Mamata, who is camping in Nandigram, visited several booths across the constituency and slammed the Election Commission for "inaction" despite her party lodging several polls-related complaints and threatened to move the law courts over it.

The Election Commission sought a detailed report from the administration in connection with an incident of violence in Boyal area in Nandigram where Mamata paid a visit to oversee the polling process.

As soon as Mamata reached Boyal, BJP supporters started chanting "Jai Shri Ram".

Supporters of Trinamool Congress and BJP then got embroiled in skirmishes and TMC leaders demanded re-polling in booth number 7, police said.

"We have lodged 63 complaints since morning. But no action has been taken. We will move the court over it. This is unacceptable," Mamata said while sitting in a wheelchair outside a booth in Boyal.

"The EC is working on the instructions of [Indian Home Minister] Amit Shah," she alleged.

From a booth in Nandigram, Mamata spoke to West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over phone at a polling booth in Nandigram. "...They didn't allow the local people to cast their vote. From morning, I am campaigning... Now I am appealing to you, please see," she could be heard saying in a video footage.

Mamata is looking to return for the third successive term as chief minister in the face of stiff challenge from BJP which is trying to wrest power in West Bengal for the first time.

West Bengal has a total of 294 assembly seats, out of which polling for 30 seats was held in the first phase on March 27.

Six more phases of polling will be held for the remaining seats in April before vote count is taken up on May 2.