Despite TMC intimidation, people voted in large numbers because of CAPF presence: Adhir

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday said despite the TMCs signature efforts to create an atmosphere of fear and tension, people turned out in large numbers to vote in both phases of the West Bengal Assembly elections, aided by the presence of central security forces.

Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday said despite the TMC's ''signature efforts'' to create an ''atmosphere of fear and tension'', people turned out in large numbers to vote in both phases of the West Bengal Assembly elections, aided by the presence of central security forces. Responding to a question on reports of sporadic violence from different pockets of the state during the current phase, Chowdhury said at a press meet in Baharampur that instances of poll-related violence are far less compared with those during local body elections in the past. ''We were expecting such instances of violence sponsored by the ruling dispensation. It is impossible to conceive violence-free elections in West Bengal. People are casting their votes in large numbers because they are finding confidence due to the presence of a large number of central security forces on the ground. Yet, things are happening outside polling premises, activities perpetrated by the TMC that carry their signature,'' the Congress candidate from Baharampur in Murshidabad district said. Assuring that focus would remain on ensuring violence-free elections in Bengal, the Election Commission deployed a record 2,407 companies of paramilitary troops during the first phase of polls on April 23 and around 2,500 companies in the second, voting for which is currently underway. Till 3 pm, the state registered 78.68 per cent voter turnout in 142 assembly seats. ''Violence in these elections has reduced significantly compared to panchayat and civic body polls of the past because, unlike those elections which are held under the aegis of the state election body, the current polls are being conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission. That's why people are reaching polling booths and voting fearlessly. This has rattled the TMC,'' Chowdhury claimed. Chowdhury said voters' intimidation, threats and poll-related violence rarely take place on the day of polls. ''They are engineered before, during the run-up to the elections, so that the TMC is able to create an atmosphere of fear and tension in the grassroots to achieve its electoral goals,'' he said. Violence also happens after the polls as a retaliatory move, Chowdhury added. ''On the day of the polls, the party-sheltered goons know they won't get too many opportunities to inflict violence because of the presence of security forces,'' the leader maintained.