At 71.1%, voter turnout dips in three N Bengal seats over 2019 LS election

DARJEELING : The three Lok Sabha constituencies, Darjeeling, Balurghat and Raiganj, which went to polls on Friday r ec orded a dip in turnout compared to both 2019 polls and April 19 phase I polling. This, however, could not dampen the confidence of the two primary contenders - TMC and BJP . The EC said barring a few sporadic incidents, the polls were "peaceful".

The polls on Friday saw a 71.1% turnout till 5 pm - lower than 80.4% during 2019 LS polls in these three seats and the 77.6% turnout till 5pm during phase I polling. The turnout dip in Balurghat was notable - 72.3 % on Friday compared to the 83.6% in 2019.

EC said polls were "peaceful" but there were stray incidents of voter intimidation, false voting, complaints of malfunctioning of EVMs and VVPATs. Trinamool alleged central forces were trying to intimidate voters to vote for BJP in some pockets. In Balurghat, intense rivalry between BJP and TMC was evident, both at party worker level and between state minister Biplab Deb and state BJP president (sitting MP) Sukanta Majumdar.

By late evening, Darjeeling's BJP MP Raju Bista was gheraoed twice in Siliguri with the second incident at Hindi High School in ward 25 leading to a tussle between BJP and TMC. BJP's Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh claimed he was hurt in the incident. Bista demanded repoll in three booths. The EC has convened a meeting on Saturday.

The early morning saw tea workers, including women, from Happy Valley in Darjeeling, Sonada and Ranglee Rangliot lining up from 7 am, which was missing in 2019. Presence of first-time voters was encouraging, too.

Bimal Gurung, GJM supremo, left his Patleybash residence around 9.30 am with his wife Asha to cast vote at Patleybash community hall. Their biggest challenger, the TMC-BGPM combine, left nothing to chance with Anit Thapa touring booths in Kurseong. Gautam Deb, TMC mayor of Siliguri, took charge of the plains.

Ajoy Edwards of Hamro Party voted at St Roberts HS School with his 83-year-old mother Cicilia Edwards. Minister Bratya Basu said: " Voter turnout in all constituencies is over 70% (average) and the maximum votes have been registered in Balurghat (72%)."

(Inputs by Debashis Konar in Kolkata)