Amidst the 7th phase of Vidhan Sabha polls in West Bengal, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) polling agent was caught sporting a cap bearing the face of CM Mamata Banerjee. The incident took place on Monday (April 26) at the polling booth in Baktarnagar High school in Paschim Bardhaman. It must be mentioned that sporting election symbols on polling day on vehicles, pamphlets, and other paraphernalia is a breach of the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission.
WB: Agnimitra Paul, BJP candidate from Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency in Paschim Bardhaman says that TMC polling agent was wearing a cap with CM’s photo on it, at polling booth in Baktarnagar High School.
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021
She says, “Presiding officer says that he’s unwell & didn’t see it” pic.twitter.com/bkhZtqvDjc
As per reports, the accused TMC polling agent has been identified as one Nayan Chand. He was caught red-handed by Agnimitra Paul, the BJP candidate from the Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency. “Topi pade bosha royecha…Apni Presiding officer apni bolen ni je aita allowed na…Mamata Banerjee r topi padhe basha royeche (He is sitting with this cap… You are the Presiding officer. Did you not tell him that such a thing is not allowed? He is wearing the cap bearing Mamata Banerjee’s face),” she said.
Agnimitra Paul showcased the cap before the media. As seen in visuals, the cap bears the face of Mamata Banerjee. “Polling agents must know that you are not allowed to wear caps, head coverings that contain party symbols, logos, or the face of prominent leaders. TMC agent Nayan Chand was wearing this cap. Don’t they know the rules? TMC is after all a national party. Why didn’t Mamata Banerjee brief him about this? They are trying to influence people by pulling off these small tricks,” the BJP leader emphasised.
BJP agent manhandled, forcibly pushed out of polling booth by TMC goons
In another incident, a BJP polling agent named Sankar Sarkar was harassed and manhandled by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons in Bakhra village of Ratua in Malda. He was pushed out of Booth No. 91 after they claimed that he was not a voter. While recounting his ordeal, he said, “I am an agent at booth number 91. Members of TMC, who are residents of the village, told me that they won’t let me there as I’m not a voter there. They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them.”
I am an agent at booth number 91. Members of TMC, who are residents of the village, told me that they won’t let me there as I’m not a voter there. They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them: Sankar Sakar, BJP polling agent#WestBengalPolls pic.twitter.com/qSXzhrTvhQ
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021
A Trinamool Congress worker has however claimed that the BJP polling agent was not harassed. “He is not a voter here so we asked him to leave respectfully. Nobody threatened him,” the man claimed. Voting for the 7th phase of polls is currently underway in 34 constituencies in West Bengal. These include 4, constituencies in Kolkata, 6 constituencies each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, and 9 constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman.
