Over 63% voter turnout in Bengal's Sagardighi assembly by-poll till 3 PM

A voter turnout of over 63 per cent was recorded till 3 PM in the by-election to West Bengal's Sagardighi assembly constituency in Murshidabad district on Monday, an election official said.

No untoward incident was reported during the voting.

"Till 3 PM, 63.43 per cent polling was recorded. So far, it is completely peaceful," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjoy Basu told PTI.

The ruling TMC, however, accused the CRPF of trying to influence the voters. "Sagardighi Bypolls is a SHINING example of @BJP4Bengal's UNDEMOCRATIC approach and their BLATANT MISUSE of power. Elections are won by catering to people, BJP, not by HARASSING them. Take a look at how the CRPF is trying to influence voters, the party tweeted while sharing a video.

The opposition BJP, however, charged the TMC with trying to create an issue out of a non-issue.

"The CRPF has put up a strong vigil, and that's the reason behind the TMC's allegation and displeasure," BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

The CEO's office is yet to react to this.

The Election Commission, in a bid to ensure free and fair polls, has deployed 30 companies of central forces in the area.

The TMC, which has been winning the seat since 2011, won in 2021 by a margin of nearly 50,000 votes, securing more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled, whereas the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance had bagged 24 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively.

Candidates of the ruling Trinamool Congress, the opposition BJP and the Congress-Left alliance are the main contestants.

The TMC has fielded Debashish Banerjee, the BJP nominee is Dilip Saha, and the Left-supported Congress candidate is Bayron Biswas.

The by-poll to the Sagardighi assembly seat was necessitated by the death of its three-time TMC MLA and state minister Subrata Saha in December last year.