KOLKATA: Kolkata witnessed an unusual lull on Sunday, a day before the political storm expected on Monday when counting of votes for 294 assembly seats in West Bengal will determine the fate of contesting parties.
From Ballygunge in the south to Bagbazar in the north, large parts of the city wore a deserted look as many public buses, cabs and other transport services stayed off the roads, and numerous shops remained closed.
For the first time during an election, Kolkata appeared to be under tight security control, with heavy deployment of Central forces and Kolkata Police personnel patrolling areas near counting centres and strong rooms housing EVMs across the city.
Senior officials, including CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap and top Kolkata Police officers, conducted surprise inspections at key counting centres such as Netaji Indoor Stadium and Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School, reviewing security arrangements ahead of counting scheduled to begin at 8 am on Monday.
An undercurrent of silence and suspense was particularly noticeable in Bhabanipur, one of the most high-profile constituencies, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on her home turf.
A confectionery shop owner on Suhashini Ganguly Sarani, near Harish Chatterjee Street, said that unlike previous elections, there were no early signs of celebration. “This time it is totally different. The presence of a strong opposition candidate is being felt, making the contest tougher for both sides,” he said, requesting anonymity. “It requires a strong opponent when you want to enjoy an exciting match. You can see the undercurrent of silence here.”
He also recalled tensions during polling on April 29, when Central forces resorted to lathi charge on protesting Trinamool Congress supporters following a visit by the opposition candidate to some booths.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Bashir Mohammad, owner of Aalamin Hotel in the Esplanade area. “I have never seen such silence and suspense around election counting in Kolkata. It feels like a lull before the storm,” he said, noting that even the usually bustling Esplanade looked deserted, with only vehicles carrying security personnel moving around.
Questioning the disruption to normal life, Mohammad said, “People are staying indoors fearing trouble. My hotel has very few customers today. In a democracy, people should be free to elect any party. There should be no violence if power changes. I believe change will happen in the state.”
Areas around Birla Planetarium, Victoria Memorial, Elliot Park and Mohar Kunja, along major roads like Shakespeare Sarani, AJC Bose Road and JL Nehru Road, also appeared unusually quiet.
A tea stall owner near Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School said he had never seen such a large deployment of armed Central forces at the location. “Earlier, only Kolkata Police handled security during counting. Now, I’ve been asked to shut my shop from Monday morning until counting ends. This is unprecedented,” he said.
The school is the counting centre for the Bhabanipur constituency, where a three-tier security arrangement involving CAPF and Kolkata Police has been in place since Thursday night. Mamata Banerjee had visited the site and stayed for over four hours, alleging suspicious activities in the strong room ahead of counting.
Public transport remained scarce across the city, leaving many commuters stranded. Salman Habib, a Bengali (Hons) student at Aliah University, was seen waiting for a bus to Bashirhat in North 24 Parganas district. “I’ve been waiting for over an hour in this heat, but there’s no bus. Train services from Sealdah are also irregular. The city feels like it’s under curfew with so many forces deployed,” the 20-year-old said, adding that he hoped the Trinamool Congress would return to power.
