Over 10 people died in poll-related violence in West Bengal, India

At least 10 people died in poll-related violence in West Bengal, India over the weekend as a consequence of clashes between political rivals that hindered the rural governing council elections.

The violence related to polls in India’s West Bengal resulted in the tragic loss of at least 10 lives, causing disruption in the ongoing state election where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party aims to regain power after their defeat in 2021.

As a consequence of clashes between political rivals that hindered the rural governing council elections, approximately 700 voting booths were scheduled to reopen on Monday, according to Nilanjan Shandilya, an official from the state election commission.

Since the announcement of the polls on June 8, sporadic violence has plagued the eastern Indian state. Reports from the media indicate incidents such as political rivals engaging in shootings, the throwing of crude bombs at voters, and the obstruction of access to voting booths.

The state election commission has received reports of 10 deaths during Saturday’s voting, as confirmed by Shandilya.

Media reports suggest a higher toll. The Indian Express daily reported at least 20 election-related deaths as of Monday. The state police declined to comment on the fatalities.

Political violence has long been a concern in the industrial state of West Bengal, which was a communist stronghold until Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) party rose to power in 2011.

Currently, the TMC holds a majority in the rural council, known as panchayats, but faces a challenge from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which aims to make progress after losing the state assembly elections in 2021.

Shantanu Sen, a spokesperson for the TMC, stated, “Political opponents did not have anything to offer to counter our development initiatives. That’s why they unleashed violence against our party workers.”

Dilip Ghosh, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, criticized the state government for its failure to maintain security, stating, “The state administration has totally failed to contain violence and bloodshed.”

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