West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strong room in Kolkata late on Thursday night, two days before the Assembly poll counting, asserting that her party will prevent any attempts to tamper with electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Banerjee, who is contesting against BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, stated that her party had received reports of EVM tampering in many parts of the state. “There is a strong room here for EVMs. We found that in many places, manipulation is taking place. When I saw the CCTV on TV, I thought I should also go and see it. Initially, the Central Forces wouldn’t let me enter. But according to our election rules, the candidate and election agent of any party are allowed up to the sealed room,” she said.
The Chief Minister also accused the Election Commission of India of bias, adding, “Our agent has been arrested; there has been so much one-sidedness. Even after that, if someone tries to steal the EVM machine, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight life and death together.” She urged citizens to maintain peace and harmony during the critical period, stating, “Victory is Certain.”
The Trinamool Congress wrote on
Most exit polls predict that the BJP will oust the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal after 15 years in power. Chanakya Strategies forecasted the BJP winning 150-160 seats in the 294-seat Assembly to secure a majority, while Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is expected to win 30-40 seats with others getting six to 10 seats.
West Bengal recorded its highest voter turnout since independence, reaching a historic 91.66 per cent during Phase II of the elections. However, the polling day also saw heightened political tensions between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party over security forces’ deployment in the state.
The Election Commission of India reported that poll participation in West Bengal during Phase II stood at 91.66 per cent by 7:45 PM. In Phase I on April 23, the turnout was 93.19 per cent, resulting in a combined turnout of 92.47 per cent over the two phases.
“The combined poll percentage over the two phases stands at 92.47%. Previously, the highest poll participation in West Bengal was 84.72% (2011 General Elections),” the ECI stated.
Voter turnout was high across demographics, with female voters leading at 92.28 per cent and male voters at 91.07 per cent.
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