Clashes broke out between supporters of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (Aam Janata Unnayan Party) and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Thursday during the first phase of Assembly polls, prompting police and central forces to resort to baton charge to disperse the mob, officials said.
The violence was reported from Shibnagar village in the Naoda Assembly constituency, where tension had been building since morning after AJUP chief Humayun Kabir visited a polling booth after casting his vote.
Kabir was met with protests by TMC supporters, who raised “go back” slogans, surrounded his vehicle and branded him a “BJP agent”, leading to heated exchanges near the polling station.
The situation escalated later in the day as supporters of both parties clashed, with stones and bricks allegedly hurled from both sides. Several incidents of vehicle vandalism were also reported.
Police and central forces intervened and carried out a lathicharge to bring the situation under control. Additional security personnel were deployed in and around the area to prevent further escalation. The Election Commission has sought a report on the incident, officials said.
Kabir later staged a sit-in at the spot, accusing the ruling party of intimidating voters and indulging in electoral malpractices. He also alleged that the TMC had bribed several of his party candidates to keep them out of the contest.
Earlier in the day, Kabir claimed that 27 of his candidates had been “purchased” for amounts ranging from Rs 9 lakh to Rs 30 lakh, reducing his party’s tally from 142 candidates to 115. The TMC did not immediately respond to the allegations.
AJUP workers also alleged that one of their booth-level leaders was assaulted, while Kabir denied accusations that his supporters were involved in the violence.
The clashes come amid polling in 152 Assembly constituencies across the state in the first phase of elections. While voting has been largely peaceful, sporadic incidents of tension have been reported from some areas. The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29, with counting set for May 4.
(With inputs from PTI)