Political Turmoil Erupts After Elderly Voter's Death in West Bengal

Elderly Voter Dies During Polling in Howrah

An elderly voter tragically passed away during the voting process in Udaynarayanpur, Howrah district, leading to a surge in political tensions. Abhishek Banerjee, a leader from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), accused central forces of causing the man's death through rough handling. However, the Election Commission has dismissed these claims, attributing the death to health issues.

Banerjee took to social media to assert that the elderly man had arrived to vote with his son. Due to mobility issues, his son was assisting him when central forces allegedly pushed them, causing the elder to fall and subsequently die. This statement escalated the situation into a political controversy.

Election Commission Responds

In a statement, the Election Commission clarified that the death was not a result of any altercation. The general observer for the Udaynarayanpur constituency reported that 82-year-old Purna Chandra Dolui had come to booth number 245 with his son to cast his vote. After voting, he suddenly collapsed near the voting compartment, reportedly due to a health issue. His son was present inside the booth at that time. He was rushed to Amta Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Following the incident, I personally visited the booth to assess the situation.

BJP Criticizes TMC

The BJP has also targeted the TMC over this incident. Leaders from the Bengal BJP claim that the ruling party was eager to witness violence during the second phase of voting, but when that did not occur due to stringent security measures, they attempted to portray a natural death as a murder. The BJP labeled this as TMC's desperation, asserting that the public will teach them a lesson in 2026, just as they did in 2021.

High Voter Turnout in Second Phase

The Election Commission reported that voter turnout in West Bengal's second phase reached 91.66% by 7:45 PM. The first phase had a turnout of 93.19%, bringing the overall voting percentage to 92.47%. Previously, the highest recorded turnout in West Bengal was 84.72% during the 2011 assembly elections.