Voting is underway in two West Bengal Assembly by-elections in Rejinagar and Nandigram on Tuesday amid heightened political tensions following the arrest of AJUP chief and MLA Humayun Kabir.
Polling began at 7am at 605 booths across the two constituencies and will continue until 6pm under tight security.
Tensions escalated in Rejinagar from Tuesday morning as police personnel surrounded the residence of Humayun Kabir, prompting him to allege that he was being kept under police surveillance.
After casting his vote early at his designated polling station, Kabir stepped onto the street and, while speaking to the media, warned the police, saying, “I urge the people to stand against them with clubs. If the police come to attack me, will I let it go? It is the duty of the police to uphold law and order.”
Kabir had earlier openly challenged the police to arrest him if they could and warned that people would take to the streets if any obstacles were created during voting.
After casting his vote, Kabir went to the Rejinagar party office, where police also arrived. An intense scuffle subsequently broke out between Kabir and police personnel.
Police forcibly dragged the AJUP chief into a vehicle and took him to Rejinagar Police Station, after which the station gates were closed.
Initially detained on allegations of threatening police personnel, Kabir was later formally arrested.
The district superintendent of police said Kabir had been detained because he was neither a candidate nor an election agent and was therefore not permitted to move around in that manner. Police later confirmed his arrest for violating the law.
The by-elections in both constituencies are being conducted under heavy security, with 71 teams of central armed forces deployed — 34 in Rejinagar and 37 in Nandigram.
Additionally, 819 state police personnel have been deployed in Rejinagar, while 700 state police personnel are stationed in Nandigram.
In Rejinagar, polling is being conducted across 315 polling centres, comprising 282 main centres and 33 auxiliary centres. The constituency has 135,014 male voters, 122,638 female voters, and five third-gender voters.
A total of 15 candidates are contesting the Rejinagar seat, including Golam Nabi Azad, son of MLA Humayun Kabir, running on an AJUP ticket; Sakharav Sarkar of the BJP; Rabiul Islam of Mamata Trinamool; Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi of the Congress; and Shafizzaman Sheikh of the Democratic Trinamool Congress.
Meanwhile, in Nandigram, voting is taking place across 323 polling booths, of which 85 have been classified as sensitive. Nandigram has 138,955 male voters, 127,463 female voters, and one third-gender voter, with Mamata Banerjee herself registered as a voter in Nandanayakbar, where she will cast her vote.
Nine candidates are contesting in Nandigram, including Hasirani Rath of the BJP, Shantigopal Giri of the CPI, and Mohammad Eteshamul Haq of the Trinamool.
Polling in Nandigram has witnessed several disruptions, with Congress candidate Milan Pradhan facing public protests, while allegations have been raised that BJP candidate Hasirani Rath was blocked from entering several polling booths.
