EVM ‘glitches’, TMC ‘goons’ and a dare for PM Modi: A look at West Bengal's phase-2 voting
Phase 2 of the West Bengal assembly elections in 2026 saw heightened tensions amid allegations of violence, EVM malfunctions, and political confrontations. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari faced off at the same polling booth, exchanging accusations of voter intimidation and electoral rigging. Both parties accused each other of deploying goons, while incidents of EVM glitches and firearm recoveries added to the volatility of the voting process.
- ▪Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari arrived at the same polling booth in Bhabanipur, escalating tensions between the TMC and BJP.
- ▪Banerjee accused the BJP of attempting to rig the election using central forces and alleged that TMC workers were beaten by BJP supporters.
- ▪An EVM malfunction in Howrah's Bally constituency led to voter unrest and a lathi-charge by central forces, resulting in two arrests.
- ▪Firearms were recovered and polling agents allegedly attacked in multiple locations, with both TMC and BJP blaming each other for the violence.
- ▪Mamata Banerjee broke her usual voting routine by visiting multiple booths early in the day, underscoring the high stakes in the Bhabanipur constituency.
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EVM ‘glitches’, TMC ‘goons’ and a dare for PM Modi: A look at West Bengal's phase-2 votingWest Bengal assembly elections: A look at everything that happened during Phase 2 polling of West Bengal elections 2026 in ten key points. Updated on: Apr 29, 2026 1:18 PM ISTWritten by Shubham PandeyShare viaCopy link As Phase 2 polling in the West Bengal assembly elections 2026 got underway, several incidents unfolded alongside the voting process. Reports of alleged hooliganism and violence surfaced, even as the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party traded accusations, each blaming the other for spreading unrest and attempting to influence the elections.EVM malfunction, clash between TMC and BJP workers and accusations of 'stealing' elections dominated second round of polling in Bengal.
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