Sporadic violence in Bengal municipal polls

Over 70 percent votes were cast amidst reports of sporadic violence in polls to five municipal bodies in West Bengal Friday.

Besides elections to the Howrah Municipal Corporation, Jhargram, Midnapore, Krishnanagar and Behrampore municipalities went to the hustings. Simultaneously, bypolls were held in 29 wards spread across 23 municipal bodies.

In Howrah, city mayor and Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate Mamta Jaiswal was admitted to the ICU of a hospital after she was attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress supported hoodlums. The Trinamool, however, denied the allegation.

Bombs were also hurled during by-elections in the Bidhan Nagar municipality.

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Mukul Roy claimed the elections were "free and fair". "There were only some minor incidents. I congratulate the people for voting in peace."

The Left Front, on the other hand, termed the polls as a "farce".

"In many areas, people were not allowed to exercise their voting rights. The Trinamool backed hoodlums created terror and rigged the polls," said Left Front chairman Biman Bose.