West Bengal election 2016: ‘Missing’ for last five years, Mishra faces angry crowds

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Mishra later claimed these protests had been engineered by the ruling party. “What they are doing is dangerous. Mamata Banerjee is rattled that I am in the fray and her workers are doing these out of nervousness. I don’t know what they would have to say if common people point at them and say ‘chor chor’(thief thief). I would only request people not to lose their cool by falling for these traps,” he said.

On a day West Bengal reached 79.51 per cent turnout, still behind the 84 per cent of 2011, Narayangarh saw some unrest with the protests against Mishra and with a CPM woman polling agent being driven out of booth number 162, allegedly by TMC workers. Mishra reached the poll station and ensured that she returned inside the booth.

At Keshpur’s Sarai Primary School, a Trinamool worker allegedly voted in favour of an elderly person at booth 177. While leaving the booth, he claimed he was helping the elderly voter.

CPM polling agent Zulfan Ali was allegedly abducted from booth number 289 of Ghatal. While the CPM alleged that ruling party workers had been behind this, the Trinamool district leadership brushed aside all allegations.

Another CPM woman poll agent reportedly had to leave the booth at Dhannogara School in Keshpur. “I was forced to leave because they threatened they would strip and parade me,” she claimed.

At many polling stations in Sabang and Pingla, only poll agents of ruling party were present. Complaints have reached the office of the chief electoral officer, officials said.

A clash between Trinamool and Congress supporters was reported at Sabang, injuring supporters of both parties. “Trinamool cadres started an unprovoked attack on our boys as the police and central forces stood like mute spectators. The Election Commission has failed to live up to its assurances,” Congress MLA from Sabang, Manas Bhunia, said. The district Trinamool leadership, however, claimed Congress supporters, led by Bhunia, had attacked the Trinamool workers.

The oldest Congress candidate, 91-year-old Gyan Singh Sohanpal in Kharagpur Sadar, is confident of winning a 11th stint. “I hail from this place and had never gone to people asking for votes. I meet them almost everyday… they had trusted me during the last 10 terms. I don’t see why they won’t elect me again,” he said talking to The Indian Express.

A voter in the constituency echoed Sohanpal. “Chacha will win comfortably…. Jab tak chacha hai, wohi jeetenge… The record margin is what matters,” said Mohammed Akhter, who works in Siliguri and had come to Kharagpur to cast his vote.