Mamata visits polling booths in Bhabanipur, alleges central forces acting at BJP's behest

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday visited several polling booths in her Bhabanipur assembly constituency where voting is underway and alleged that central forces and election observers were acting at the behest of the BJP. The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee's political bastion, where she is locked in a prestige battle against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in the 2021 assembly polls. The TMC supremo, who usually steps out of her Kalighat residence in the afternoon on polling day to cast her vote at Mitra Institution School, went out before 8 am and visited several polling stations in the constituency, including those in the Chetla area of south Kolkata. She later sat outside a polling station at Chakraberia in Bhabanipur and spoke to reporters, alleging irregularities and accusing the BJP of trying to influence the polling process through central forces and observers. ''Several observers have come from outside and are acting as per the BJP's directions. People are supposed to cast their votes -- can voting take place like this?'' Banerjee said. She also alleged that all TMC party flags had been removed beforehand and claimed that outsiders were interfering with the polling process. ''They are not allowing the councillor of ward number 70 to step out. They are picking up all our boys. Abhishek and I stayed awake the entire night,'' she said. Banerjee further claimed that some people from outside the state were trying to create disturbances in the constituency and sought immediate intervention from the Election Commission. The BJP, however, dismissed her allegations, claiming that the ruling party was trying to create confusion after sensing public anger against it. The party's de facto second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee asserted that the TMC will win with a higher number of seats than in 2021. The Diamond Harbour MP, after casting his vote at Mitra Institution, accused the poll observers of highhandedness in different places. ''But these things will not matter, we will win by a higher number of seats this election,'' he told reporters. Adhikari, on the other hand, said the CM will lose the election. The LoP offered prayers at two temples in the constituency's Khidirpur area. Adhikari said people are coming out in large numbers to vote, with the Election Commission making proper arrangements for ensuring free and fair election. ''Does not matter, she will lose,'' Adhikari told reporters about the TMC chief venturing out on polling day early in the morning in a departure from her practice of going out only in the afternoon to cast her vote Voting is underway in 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections amid unprecedented security arrangements. Polling began at 7 am with voters lining up outside booths across Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman -- districts that together form the political and electoral core of the state. The outcome of this phase is expected to be crucial as it covers south Bengal, considered the TMC's traditional stronghold, where the BJP is seeking major inroads. Polling will continue till 6 pm. The first phase of the assembly elections on April 23 had recorded a turnout of 93.19 per cent -- the highest ever in the state. Counting of votes will take place on May 4.

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