Kolkata:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) blocked its lotus symbol by tapping electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the second phase of theWest BengalAssembly elections. BJP's co-incharge of West Bengal, Amit Malviya, alleged that voters were prevented from choosing the saffron party candidate at several polling booths in Falta under the Diamond Harbour constituency during the ongoing phase two of Assembly polling.
He claimed that in multiple booths, the BJP option was allegedly blocked using tape, calling it the "Diamond Harbour Model" and demanding a repoll in the affected areas. Malviya claimed the TMC used the same technique during the Lok Sabha polls in Diamond Harbour, from where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, remained victorious.
"This is what Mamata Banerjee was defending when she spoke up for Jehangir Khan, a criminal contesting on a TMC ticket from Falta in Diamond Harbour. In several polling booths, the option to vote for the BJP has been blocked using a tape, effectively preventing voters from exercising their choice. This is the so-called “Diamond Harbour Model,” the same template that helped Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee secure his Lok Sabha seat," the BJP's IT cell in charge said in his X post.
"We demand an immediate repoll in all affected booths in Falta where such incidents have occurred. We demand an immediate repoll in all affected booths in Falta where such incidents have occurred. Details of a couple of such booths, along with evidence, are provided below: Falta 144 Part 170 Room No. 2 – Harindanga High School. Booth 189 is also compromised in a similar manner along with several others," he added. Malviya also shared videos of the taped EVMs.
Election Commission's Response:
Responding to the BJP's allegations, the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that the polling booths with taping of any EVM button will undergo repolling. "If reports of taping of any button come in, that should be verified and noted. If true, those booths will go for a repoll," the West Bengal CEO said as quoted by ANI.
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The BJP has fielded Dipak Kumar Halder against TMC's sitting MLA Panna Lal Halder in Diamond Harbour. In the 2021 polls, Halder defeated the BJP candidate by a margin of 16,996 (7.6 per cent) votes.
Meanwhile, West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 39.97 per cent until 11 am, as polling for the 142 seats in the second phase of the Assembly elections is underway.
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