India News | Locket Chatterjee Claims Rigging of Votes Underway at School in West Bengal's Dhaniakhali

Hooghly (West Bengal) [India], May 20 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party MP Locket Chatterjee claimed that rigging of votes was underway at a polling booth set up in Mehandipur primary school in Dhaniakhali, under the Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal.

"This is Ashima Patra's booth. Last time, rigging of EVM happened here. When I reached here rigging was underway peacefully. Some people present here are giving protection, police are not doing anything. They are giving 'Go Back' slogans because we are creating trouble in the rigging process," Chatterjee said speaking to reporters on Monday.

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Earlier in the day, an argument broke out between Chatterjee and a person who was claiming to be a polling agent, at a polling station in Dasghara High School under Hooghly Lok Sabha Constituency.

Locket Chatterjee alleged that he was a TMC agent. She later took that person out of the polling station.

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"He was a TMC agent and does not have any documents. He went inside the booth and kept asking people to vote for TMC. Police are not doing anything...," Chatterjee said.

Earlier, Chatterjee also claimed that a Trinamool agent was caught red-handed asking people to vote for her rival candidate from Hooghly, Rachana Banerjee.

"An AASHA worker was made to sit as a booth agent in lieu of money. She has been instructed to ask people to vote for Rachana. She is a Trinamool agent working as an assistant in booths asking people to vote for TMC. There is no other party slip with her," Chatterjee said speaking to reporters.

Chatterjee said that the woman could not give adequate answers when confronted and said that she was instructed by higher officials who could not be traced.

"She could not say anything when countered. She said that she had been instructed by some 'Sir' who could not be found," the BJP candidate from Hooghly said.

While the TMC has fielded actor Rachna Banerjee from Hooghly, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which is in partnership with the Congress in the INDIA bloc has fielded Manadip Ghosh.

Voting for the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Monday morning across 49 parliamentary constituencies spread over six states and two Union Territories (UTs) amid tight security and arrangements. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)