Re-polling started in Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district at 7 a.m. on Thursday. The area is under heavy security with 35 companies of Central Armed Police Forces present, a significant number for a single constituency. The polling process was reported to be peaceful so far.
With Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan withdrawing from the contest, political analysts believe that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have an easy win in the Falta re-polling. Khan’s withdrawal has potentially paved the way for the BJP to enhance its standing in the West Bengal Assembly to 208 seats.
Jahangir Khan decided to step back from the race in support of a new development package for Falta proposed by the Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari. Despite Khan’s withdrawal, his name will still appear on the EVM as a Trinamool Congress candidate for the re-poll.
The Election Commission’s office clarified that the re-poll in Falta is just a repeat of the earlier polling conducted on April 29, with no changes in the list of candidates. Observers are keen to see if the vote shares for CPI(M) and Congress candidates in Falta will rise, remain steady, or decrease compared to previous elections.
Allegations of electoral malpractices, including covering BJP candidates’ EVM buttons with white tape, surfaced after the April 29 polling in Falta. Following an inquiry by special poll observer Subrata Gupta, appointed as an advisor to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, the Election Commission of India ordered a re-poll across the entire Falta Assembly constituency.
