As West Bengal's Falta constituency went for repolling, one name remained conspicuous by his absence - Jahangir Khan. The Trinamool Congress politician, infamous in the constituency as Pushpa, who withdrew from the polls days after the BJP came to power in the state, didn't turn up to vote, prompting locals and his opponents to take swipes at him.
BJP candidate Debangshu Panda mocked Khan amid the Falta repolling. "Pushpa bhag gaya (Pushpa fled). He has realised the kind of terror he had created among local innocent voters won't work in his favour this time, which is why he has fled from the area," he told NDTV.
Falta went for repolling weeks after the Election Commission cancelled the polls over irregularities and lapses in voting.
Khan's house falls under polling station 192, which is located at the Srirampur Paschim Durgapur Prathamik Vidyalaya. However, on Thursday, only his wife cast her vote in the afternoon.
Khan lives in a palatial house near the polling station. Until last month, the area in front of the house used to bustle with activity. The same area now has a desolate appearance.
NDTV visited his residence. Calls looking for Jahangir went unanswered. Even the neighbours do not know for certain where the Trinamool politician is. Some said he fled home on the very day he withdrew from the election.
Jahangir Khan Missing
Gulam Hosain Khan, his neighbour, said Jahangir has been missing for the past few days.
"Jahangir has not returned home for the past few days. We have cast our vote for the BJP. For protection... I was threatened many times by Jahangir and others, and they forced me to cast votes for the Trinamool Congress in several previous elections," he said.
Mosaraf Khan, who was standing next to Khan, said, "Jahangir was a terror for us in this neighbourhood. He used to terrorise us. He has given a reply to what he deserves".
Jahangir's village was brimming with political flags on the day of the polls, including those of the BJP, the Left and the Congress. Locals said these flags were put up on the day Jahangir left the village.
Just a two-minute walk from his house stands Jahangir's party office. It was also locked.
"For a long time, it was impossible to cast a vote here. Whenever we arrived to vote, we would be told, 'Your vote has already been cast.' Votes would even be cast in the name of my deceased mother. What more can I say? However, the voting process is going well this time," said a voter.
Ujjala Manna, 45, a resident of Hasim Nagar, said she voted freely for the first time in several years.
"In the past 15 years, I have been casting a vote freely for the first time. Even on May 29, the Trinamool's goons stopped me from casting a vote. They even threatened women...They were terror for us," she said.
