West Bengal Congress Demands Re-polling Over Alleged BJP Rigging

West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar demanded total re-polling in the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats after alleging widespread electoral irregularities during by-elections. The party claims the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party captured polling booths, intimidated voters, and forcibly evicted Congress agents from more than 100 booths in Rejinagar.

Congress candidate Milan Pradhan reported that miscreants snatched identity cards and voter slips. Pradhan further alleged that police and CRPF personnel acted with bias, claiming that jawans beat him with lathis. In Rejinagar, candidate Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi staged a sit-in outside a local police station to protest the alleged rigging.

Sarkar accused the Election Commission of India of being controlled by the BJP and specifically criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Despite these allegations, official data recorded a 71.79% polling percentage in Nandigram as of 3 pm on Tuesday.