West Bengal Repolling: 38.2% Turnout in Magrahat West Till 11 AM

Re-polling at 15 booths in Diamond Harbour, Magrahat West sees steady turnout amid tight security and EVM complaints, with officials monitoring closely for fair process.

KOLKATA: Re-polling kicked off at 7 am on Saturday across 15 polling booths in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, focusing on four stations in Diamond Harbour and 11 in Magrahat West. By 11 am, officials reported 38.2% voter turnout in Magrahat West and 35.92% in Diamond Harbour, building on earlier figures of 16.68% and 15.83% till 9 am respectively.

The Election Commission ordered the fresh voting after complaints of clashes and alleged EVM tampering during the second phase polls on April 29. Polling will run till 6 pm under heavy security, with Rapid Action Force teams deployed in Magrahat Paschim and central forces at key spots.

Early Morning Glitches

Things didn't start smoothly everywhere. At a Diamond Harbour booth, voting halted for nearly an hour due to an EVM malfunction, leading to long queues and frustrated voters. One voter alleged delays from the glitch, while visuals showed lines snaking outside Bagda Junior High School's booth number 117.

In Magrahat Paschim, booths 126 and 127 at Najra saw heavy turnout from the word go, with queues forming well before opening. Security personnel assisted elderly voters, and a woman was spotted casting her vote with an infant in Diamond Harbour.

Security Blanket Thickens

Authorities ramped up measures amid the scrutiny. Tight security marked proceedings, especially after recent strong room controversies. CCTV at Barasat Government College's strong room was found switched off, fueling tensions, while forces guarded Netaji Indoor Stadium and Jadavpur counting centre.

Local officials confirmed no major incidents so far, but monitoring remains intense. Initial reports indicate a peaceful flow despite the hiccups.

Political Crossfire Heats Up

Leaders from both sides weighed in. BJP's Dilip Ghosh from Kharagpur Sadar dismissed unrest claims, accusing TMC of "political theatrics" and "drama outside" to fire up workers. "No problem anywhere on the ground," he insisted.

In Diamond Harbour, BJP's Goursundar Ghosh flagged irregularities but expressed victory confidence. Suvendu Adhikari alleged contractual staff in vote counting and pushed for more re-polling booths, saying it "should have happened in more places." BJP MP Rahul Sinha backed the process, while candidate Arjun Singh from Noapara supported fresh voting over tampering claims.

TMC faced barbs too. BJP's Purnima Chakraborty targeted Shashi Panja, calling her strong room allegations "drama" born of "fear of defeat." Panja visited Netaji Indoor Stadium's strong room earlier, amid TMC claims of issues at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.

Voter Turnout Builds

The midday numbers suggest steady participation. Magrahat West's 38.2% edged ahead of Diamond Harbour's 35.92%, with visuals from booth 243 and 194 showing brisk movement. Sukanta Majumdar linked high turnout to BJP support.

Meanwhile, TMC gears up separately. Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will brief counting agents virtually this afternoon, two days before results, to coordinate strategy.

Strong Room Shadows Linger

The re-polling unfolds against a backdrop of strong room rows. Post-April 29 polls, TMC leaders alleged irregularities in EVM storage, with Mamata and Suvendu Adhikari visiting sites. BJP candidates countered that "strong rooms are safe, EVMs secure."

Sources familiar with the matter said the EC aimed to restore faith through these measures. No fresh complaints of violence surfaced by midday.

This exercise in South 24 Parganas could influence close races, with eyes now on smooth closure and results. Officials expect turnout to climb higher by evening, as polling continues without further major hitches.