WB: BJP demands ban on entry of outsiders 48 hours before polls

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday demanded the Election Commission to ban entry of outsiders in the Lok Sabha constituencies, 48 hours ahead of the commencement of the elections.

The BJP also demanded that the history-sheeters should be arrested hours before the elections.

"We have demanded that outsiders be not allowed in the Lok Sabha constituencies, 48 hours before the elections, and that history-sheeters be arrested. Our candidate Bharati Ghosh's car was stopped and we have demanded action against the officers involved," BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters after meeting West Bengal CEO.

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Aariz Aftab has sought a report from District Magistrate of Ghatal in West Bengal regarding the attack on BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh's convoy earlier on Sunday.

The BJP accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers of attacking Ghosh's convoy and obstructing her entry into a polling booth in Keshpur.

Ghosh, a former IPS officer, is contesting from Ghatal. She had arrived at the booth alleging that BJP polling agents were not being allowed to sit at the booth in Keshpur.

She also alleged that she was surrounded and heckled by female workers of TMC who tried to prevent her from entering the booth. The attack on her convoy resulted in severe injuries to one of her security personnel.

Ghosh is taking on sitting MP and Bengali actor-turned-lawmaker Deepak Adhikari from TMC.

In another instance, West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh alleged that TMC goons had been threatening BJP workers since yesterday, and today, stopped his party workers from going inside a polling booth in West Medinipur's Rampura to cast their votes.

Polling in West Bengal is underway on eight Lok Sabha seats. Results are scheduled to be announced on May 23.