Tensions flared on the counting centre in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Bhowanipore constituency a day earlier than vote counting, after Trinamool Congress (TMC) staff alleged that two automobiles bearing BJP flags have been allowed contained in the premises the place EVMs are saved. The event comes shortly after Banerjee staged a four-hour sit-in outdoors the identical counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial Ladies’ Faculty on Thursday night time, elevating issues over alleged unauthorised entry to the strongroom.

Struggle of Nerves Between TMC and BJP

With polling concluded, the political contest in West Bengal has shifted right into a high-stakes battle over the safety of strongrooms. Staff from each the TMC and the BJP have been intently monitoring amenities throughout the state the place EVMs are saved.

Regardless of expressing confidence in a “landslide victory”, Banerjee has repeatedly voiced issues about doable “counting malpractice and EVM tampering” forward of the outcomes.

Allegations Over Automobile Entry

On Sunday morning, TMC staff stationed close to the Bhowanipore counting centre claimed that two automobiles with BJP flags entered the premises and approached the strongroom space.

“Safety personnel aren’t permitting any unauthorised entry. Then how was this automobile permitted inside? We had not seen it prior to now few days,” a TMC employee mentioned, including that central forces later requested them to maneuver 100 metres away once they protested.

The get together additionally alleged that though police assured the automobile could be eliminated, it remained inside for a while.

Nonetheless, a senior Election Fee official dismissed the claims, stating that the automotive was merely passing alongside Harish Mukherjee Highway and was allowed to depart after routine checks discovered nothing objectionable.

Earlier Protests And Complaints

The controversy follows a sequence of protests by the TMC over alleged irregularities at counting centres. On Thursday, get together leaders Sashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh staged a sit-in outdoors the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleging unauthorised exercise contained in the strongroom.

In Howrah, TMC staff objected to renovation work close to a strongroom, prompting authorities to quickly halt the exercise. On Saturday, the get together additionally lodged a criticism with the Election Fee, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballots on the similar venue.

Comparable protests have been reported at Asansol Faculty and Barasat Authorities Faculty, the place TMC staff claimed CCTV cameras had been switched off for temporary durations—allegations the Election Fee denied, asserting that surveillance remained uninterrupted.

BJP Hits Again

Reacting to the allegations, BJP spokesperson Sajal Ghosh dismissed them as baseless, saying folks in Bengal have been discovering it “hilarious” that the TMC was elevating such issues.

“Are they nervous about dropping?” he requested, accusing the ruling get together of creating “frivolous prices”.

Earlier WSuvendu Sarkar Alleged that officers assigned for Counting Day duties, voluntarily or beneath strain, are reportedly disclosing their particular responsibility particulars, places, particular roles within the counting course of and designations to their respective departmental organizations and associations.