Summary of this article
Suvendu Adhikari faced protests and slogan-shouting by TMC workers during a booth visit, escalating tensions in Kalighat.
Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse crowds as BJP and TMC supporters clashed near the polling booth.
Adhikari alleged an attack, sought additional forces from EC; TMC dismissed claims, calling it public anger.
Tensions erupted in Kolkata's Kalighat neighbourhood when Suvendu Adhikari, the BJP's candidate for Bhabanipur, visited a polling place on Wednesday and was met with slogans from TMC workers. This led to police intervention and an opposition leader's complaint to the EC requesting the deployment of more central forces.
To break up the gathering, security personnel had to use a lathi charge.
Adhikari, who has been visiting polling places throughout the Bhabanipur assembly constituency since the morning, arrived to check the polling arrangements when the incident occurred close to Joy Hind Bhavan in Kalighat.
As soon as he reached the area, TMC workers and supporters raised slogans of 'Jai Bangla' and 'chor, chor' against him, while BJP activists responded with chants of 'Jai Shri Ram', leading to heightened tension in the politically sensitive neighbourhood.
As the slogan war heated up and supporters from both sides swarmed around the booth area, police officers stationed there found it difficult to keep both parties' cadres under control.
Adhikari complained to Election Commission officials while standing in front of the media, claiming that BJP workers were being obstructed and that he had been attacked.
"There has been an attack on me. More central forces should be sent immediately so that voters can cast their votes freely," he was heard telling poll officials.
Alleging that efforts were being made to intimidate voters and opposition workers, he reportedly requested the deployment of more CRPF officers in the region.
In Bhabanipur, one of the most prominent constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, the BJP claimed that TMC supporters were purposefully attempting to cause unrest in order to obstruct free and fair voting.
The TMC, however, maintained that local people were expressing spontaneous anger against Adhikari and dismissed the BJP's allegations.
Since the morning, Adhikari has been visiting several Bhabanipur booth locations, including Chakraberia, Chetla, and Mitra Institution, as voting in the seat where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also running has advanced.
The second and final phase of the assembly elections is currently taking place in 142 constituencies in South Bengal, with Bhabanipur emerging as one of the most keenly followed battlegrounds because of the confrontation between Banerjee and Adhikari.
Voting will take place until 6 p.m., with the vote counting taking place on May 4.
