A high voter turnout of 81 per cent was recorded in the by-elections held in two Lok Sabha and one assembly constituency in West Bengal today, while the Congress announced withdrawing their candidate from the Monteswar assembly seat accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of “turning the elections into a farce“.

The TMC, however denied the Congress allegations and said the elections have been peaceful.

An average of 81 per cent polling was recorded till 5 pm, with 77 and 81 percent in Cooch Behar and Tamluk Lok Sabha constituencies and 86 per cent in Monteswar Assembly seat, the Election Commission said.

“The average voter turnout has been 81 per cent. Whatever complaints we have received have been duly attended,” an EC official said.

Accusing the ruling TMC of “letting loose a reign of terror” in the by-polls in Monteswar, state Congress President Adhir Chowdhury announced in the afternoon that they were withdrawing their candidate Bulbul Ahmed Sekh.

“They have unleashed a terror across Monteswar seat, they have turned the election into a farce. They are not allowing our polling agents to enter the booth, there is no use of fighting the polls. So we have decided to withdraw our candidates,” Chowdhury said.

When contacted, the EC said they have received a complaint from the Congress stating they want to withdraw their candidate.

“We have forwarded the complaint to the District Magistrate to look into the matter,” the EC official said.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front and BJP too echoed the views of Congress and alleged that elections have been turned into farce in Coochbehar Lok assembly segemet as well.

The BJP demanded repoll in several booths in all the three constituencies.

Rubbishing the allegations, The TMC said the elections have been peaceful.

“The elections have been peaceful. There have been no incidents of violence. People have voted in favour of the development that has taken place under TMC regime,” TMC vice-president Mukul Roy claimed.

The ruling Trinamool Congress, BJP, Left Front and Congress have fielded their candidates in the by-poll.

Although Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front had contested the April-May Assembly polls together, the two parties decided to part ways in this round of by-elections.

Demonetisation became a key issue in the last lap of campaign for the by-polls. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not campaign for the by-polls and left it to other leaders of her party.

The counting of votes will take place on November 22.

By-election in Cooch Behar was necessitated by the death of TMC MP Renuka Sinha while the by-election in Tamluk in East Medinipur district was caused by the resignation of TMC MP Suvendu Adhikari who also won the Assembly poll and joined the state cabinet as Transport minister.

The by-poll to Monteswar Assembly seat in Burdwan district is due to death of TMC MLA Sajal Panja

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