TMC acting desperately due to fear of losing, says Suvendu Adhikari

During the high-stakes second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime candidate Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday remarked that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was acting desperately due to fear of losing.

"70 per cent of the polls have been completed, this will go till 85-87 per cent. Our hold on booths will cross 90 pc. TMC is acting desperately due to fear of losing," Adhikari told media.

"They tried to capture two booths but the police observer caught them. They tried to use fake IDs at other booths and now three people have been held. They are also trying now but we have managed to prevent it," he added.

Adhikari also said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was afraid of 'Jai Shree Ram'.

"Earlier, there was no opposition, no resistance. No complaints. Now there is a fierce competition. So, TMC, due to their desperate attitude, is doing such things like provoking a particular community," he stated.

Adhikari also claimed that he caught an absconding TMC polling agent, adding that the matter had been reported to the Supreme Court and law enforcement.

Voting for the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly election began at 7 am on Thursday.

BJP's Mandal President of Debra constituency, Mohan Singh, was detained by the police, following which a ruckus ensued there.

TMC party workers also accused BJP's candidate from Debra, Bharati Ghosh of influencing the electorate by visiting the polling booths.

A total of 30 Assembly constituencies from the districts of South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur are heading in to vote in the second phase.

Out of the 171 candidates in the fray, 152 are men and the remaining are women. It means only 11 per cent of the candidates are women.

Among these candidates, two are undoubtedly the most prominent figures, that is, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her former ministerial colleague Suvendu Adhikari, who had joined the BJP in December last year.

Nandigram is experiencing the most high-profile contest with Banerjee and Adhikari taking on each other. Adhikari had earlier pledged that he would quit politics if he does not defeat Mamata Banerjee by 50,000 votes in Nandigram.

( With inputs from ANI )