"TMC workers drove BJP polling agent from booth", claims BJP's Agnimitra Paul
May 25, 2024
Paschim Medinipur (West Bengal) [India], May 25 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Medinipur Agnimitra Paul on Saturday, accused the West Bengal Police of arresting several of the party's polling agents and the ruling party driving one of the polling agents away from the booth on voting day.
"They (TMC) have removed our polling agent. The TMC kidnapped him and took him away. When I received the information I came here. He was crying here. I have taken him inside and made him sit," Paul said speaking to ANI on Saturday.
"At various places, our polling agents are not being allowed to sit. Yesterday night, the police has taken away several of our polling agents from their houses and also took them to court. At various places, we did not have a polling agent in the morning," she added.
The BJP leader also claimed that a West Bengal Police official was inside a polling booth and making voters cast their votes.
"The West Bengal Police official was making people vote by standing next to the booth," Paul said.
The BJP leader was also seen engaging in a verbal spat with a police official.
Earlier in the day, the police stopped Paul's convoy at Kismat Angua in Bonpura village in Medinipur.
"They are trying to slow down my movement. Bengal police are doing this. I have shown the permission that I have to the police but he was asking me why don't I have the hard copy. I have the soft copy," Paul said.
The BJP has replaced the incumbent MP of Medinipur, Dilip Ghosh, with the party's state Mahila Morcha president, Agnimitra Paul, as its candidate for the Medinipur Lok Sabha seat.
On the other hand, the TMC has fielded an actor-turned-politician, June Maliah, as its candidate. The CPI(M) and Congress have chosen Biplab Bhatta and Sambhunath Chattopadhyay as their respective candidates.
Apart from Medinipur, voting is also underway at Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur constituencies in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state on Saturday.
