Poll boycott in three LS seats of West Bengal

Polling was boycotted primarily by tribals in three Lok Sabha seats -- Darjeeling, Balurghat and Jhargram -- in West Bengal today during the first phase of election in the state.

The Jhargram (ST) seat where maoists had given a poll boycott call witnessed a landmine blast at Biramdih near Balarampur in which two security personnel were injured.

Following the blast, people failed to turn up in two booths of Bandwan, 16 booths in Balarampur and 2 booths in Bagmundi, all of which were near the site of the explosion, reports from the districts said.

Areas like Belpahari and Lalgarh too witnessed poll boycott by tribals who have demanded that their language, Olchiki, be given official language status.

 

In the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, 1743 adivasis in the Doomdooma tea estate, Grammuni and Loha Singh of Matigara-Naxalbari area did not vote at the call of the Akhil Bhratiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad, a forum of adivasis, in protest against their demand for a separate Gorkhaland demand.

Voters stayed away from booths at Saidpur and Kumarganj in Balurghat Lok Sabha seat over local demands.

Unemployed youths called a poll boycott and threatened a fine of Rs 551 for those casting votes at Andharmanik in the seat.