West Bengal Assembly elections 2021: In Nandigram, some things don’t change

NANDIGRAM: Nandigram failed to shrug off violence despite adoption of unprecedented measures by the Election Commission to maintain peace for a free and fair election.
Charges and counter charges of intimidation of voters, rigging, incidents of polling agents being driven out, assault on voters and journalists were exchanged throughout the day of the poll. At Boyal, Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters clashed over charges of rigging.
As early as 8am, both Trinamool and BJP alleged that their polling agents were not being allowed to sit inside several polling stations. Trinamool alleged that their polling agents from as many as 80 booths had been driven out.

The party lodged complaints with the EC. Forces were mobilised to reduce the figure to eight. However, agents were driven out multiple times at Boyal I and II.
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Suvendu Adhikari, on the other hand, complained that in as many as 122 booths, their agents had been driven out. In the evening, BJP supporters alleged that booths without their agents rose to 150. In the morning, Suvendu rushed to Patrapara, where BJP supporter Uday Shankar Dobe (51) allegedly committed suicide by hanging. His daughter Sabita alleged that her father was being intimidated by Trinamool goons.

“My father had asked my mother not to venture out to vote. He was very upset and scared,” she said.
At Khadambari in Nandigram block I, some Trinamool supporters alleged that BJP was distributing puffed rice to woo voters. “They have been adopting foul methods to win but these will not work. They are desperate now that they have realised that they will lose,” said Pradip Mandal, a local panchayat official.

The EC asked for the deployment of 22 companies of central forces, in addition to state police at Nandigram this time. Eight to 14 central force personnel were posted at each polling booth. All 355 booths were declared sensitive.
EC special observer Ajay Nayak visited Nandigram while two senior IPS officers were deputed to assist an ADG; the ferry ghat was sealed off and choppers were kept on standby.
Section 144 CrPC was imposed outside all polling booths to prevent violence and breach of peace during polling.

These measures notwithstanding, the polling process was still marred by incidents of sporadic violence. It could have spiralled out of control at Boyal where widespread rigging was alleged by the Trinamool. The BJP, on the other hand, alleged that the Trinamool was bringing in goons from outside to foment trouble.
Residents, too, were left disappointed by the developments on Thursday. “Nandigram is by and large a peaceful place. It’s only a handful who indulge in violence at the behest of some unscrupulous political leaders. People of Nandigram have never believed in or taken part in violence,” Said Sheikh Sabir of Tarachandbari, a Muslim majority area