Nadia (West Bengal) [India], April 29 : As polling for the 142 seats in the West Bengal election commenced today, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagannath Sarkar has alleged that a party booth agent was beaten up by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in the Nadia-Chapra Assembly constituency. He has demanded strict action against the people responsible.
Speaking to ANI over the alleged attack, BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar said, "Chapra is a minority-dominated area where 'gundagardi' happens with help from TMC, which doesn't want any BJP booth agents present in the constituency. We are demanding strict action in this incident."
Around 5:30 a.m. on polling day, BJP polling agent Mosharraf Mir, assigned to booth number 52 under Hatra Panchayat, was allegedly assaulted with iron rods and firearms by unidentified individuals.
Police officials rescued him and admitted him to Chapra Rural Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. He has received six stitches on his head.
Sarkar further alleged that BJP workers and booth-level functionaries are being targeted to prevent the party from carrying out its electoral duties in the region. He also demanded strict action in the matter and urged authorities to ensure the safety of political workers on the ground.
West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 18.39 per cent until 9 am, as polling for the remaining 142 seats across the state commenced earlier in the day.
Purba Bardhaman stands at the top, with a voting percentage of 20.86 %, followed by Hooghly, which has witnessed 20.16 % polling until 9 am on Wednesday. 18.50 percent polling has taken place in Nadia; meanwhile, North 24 Paraganas 17.81 % votes.
Kolkata North and Kolkata South have experienced 17.28 % and 16.81 % polling respectively, whereas 17.76 percent voting has taken place in Howrah.
The main fight in West Bengal in the 2026 elections is between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Earlier in the day, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari inspected the polling booths in Bhabanipur constituency. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote at the Mitra Institute polling booth in Bhabanipur.
The second phase of the polling is widely seen as the 'litmus test' for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as voting moves into the party's traditional fortresses in South Bengal and Kolkata.
The second phase covers 142 out of 294 seats in West Bengal. The total electorate is around 3.21 crore, with 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 transgender voters.1,448 candidates are in the fray, including 220 women at 41,001 polling stations, with over 8,000 managed entirely by women.
The results of West Bengal polls will be declared on May 4, along with the outcome of polls in Assam, Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.