Yechury speaks to CEC, alleges widespread rigging by TMC in West Bengal

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday spoke to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora regarding alleged widespread rigging in the last phase of polling in West Bengal by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and asked why no efforts were made to ensure free and fair elections.

As polling is underway for nine parliamentary constituencies in the state, several incidents of violence were reported at different polling booths including Dum Dum, Diamond Harbour, Kolkata North, and Jadavpur.

"Spoke to CEC Shri Sunil Arora ji, apprised him of the large scale attempts at rigging and violence in Dum Dum, Diamond Harbour, Kolkata Uttar, Jadavpur. He has assured us. We hope at this final stage of the poll, they can ensure that people are allowed to vote, freely and fairly," Yechury wrote on his Twitter handle.

Yechury claimed that no central forces were deployed in these regions and no efforts were made to stop the hijacking of democracy.

"There are no central forces, no efforts to stop the hijacking of democracy. EC cannot merely watch, it needs to intervene decisively. It is the people resisting this violence and wresting back their rights," he said in another tweet.

Underlining that the reason for a long-drawn poll process was to ensure free and fair polling, Yechury said: "This has been the most disappointing overseeing of polls in independent India by the Election Commission."

CPM has also claimed that TMC goons vandalised booth camp at Baghajatin which falls under Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency.

"TMC goons vandalised our booth camp at Baghajatin, which falls under Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency. Central force remains a spectator as TMC-BJP nexus stands exposed. After united resistance from the people, the goons ran away from the place," CPM wrote on its official Twitter handle.

Vehicles of a few leaders were vandalised in poll-related violence. BJP has also accused TMC of beating its office-bearers. Voters in Basirhat and Jadavpurhave alleged that TMC workers are disrupting the election process by not allowing them to vote.

West Bengal recorded 73.05 per cent polling till 5 pm on Sunday. Polling began at 7 am across the nine constituencies and will continue till 6 pm. The results will be announced on May 23.