- Polling began for re-election in Falta assembly seat, West Bengal
- Re-poll ordered after reports of widespread electoral malpractices in previous voting
- Six candidates contest; TMC's Jahangir Khan withdrew but name remains on EVMs
Polling began for re-election to the Falta assembly seat in West Bengal on Thursday morning. The Election Commission had ordered a repoll in Falta after reports of widespread "electoral malpractices" surfaced on April 29 during the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections. Fresh polling was ordered across all 285 polling stations in the Falta Assembly constituency.
A total of six candidates are in the fray, including TMC's Jahangir Khan, who announced he was withdrawing from the race on Tuesday.
Even as Khan announced pulling out from the contest, his name remained on the EVMs as he couldn't officially withdraw his candidature. Among other candidates are Debangshu Panda of the BJP, CPI(M)'s Sambhu Nath Kurmi, and Congress' Abdur Razzak Molla.
Khan claimed he had backed out of the contest since Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had promised a special package for the people of Falta. "It is for this reason that I am withdrawing my nomination. I have withdrawn my candidature in the interest of Falta's development and peace," he stressed.
Khan had sprung to the limelight after a confrontation with Ajay Pal Sharma, a UP-cadre IPS officer who had threatened him against electoral wrongdoings when he was sent as a special observer to West Bengal's South 24 Paraganas in the run-up to the elections last month. The incident had triggered a feisty faceoff between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP ahead of the second phase of the polling.
Jehangir Khan, who called himself Falta's Pushpa, a reference of Allu Arjun starrer movie, is known to be close to Trinamool Congress MP and party's number 2 Abhisek Banerjee. Post Khan's withdrawal from the contest, the BJP had targeted Banerjee with Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar taking a Pushpa jibe at him.
"Several people try to be 'Pushpa' but 'Pushpa' was a 'phusss' (flop) this time. So, all these 'Pushpas' and their boss - there used to be photos in Diamond Harbour stating "AB jhukega nahi". Everyone is bending now. AB's agent bhi jhuk gaya (has bowed); AB bhi jhukega (will bow too)," said the former West Bengal BJP chief.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had also taken a swipe at Khan, stating that he pulled out of the race since he would not get any polling agent.
More than 2.36 lakh people, including 1.15 lakh women and nine belonging to the third gender, are eligible to cast their votes across 285 booths in this re-election.
