Bengal: BJP candidate leads by over 1 lakh votes in Falta repoll

Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Debangshu Panda was headed for a decisive victory in West Bengal’s Falta Assembly repoll on Saturday, according to data from the Election Commission.

After 20 out of 21 rounds of counting, Panda maintained a lead of 1,04,487 votes over his Communist Party of India (Marxist) rival after the Trinamool Congress candidate withdrew from the contest days before polling.

According to the Election Commission, Panda had secured 1.37 lakh votes, while CPI(M) candidate Sambhu Nath Kurmi had polled 38,265 votes.

On Tuesday, TMC’s Jahangir Khan withdrew from the race, just as the 48-hour silence period came into effect in the constituency. He claimed that he took the decision “for Falta’s development and the public good” after a special package announced by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The TMC said that the withdrawal of the candidature was Khan’s “personal decision and not that of the party”.

However, since his withdrawal came after the nomination deadline, Khan’s name remained on the ballot and he also polled over 7,400 votes.

While voting in Falta was held on April 29, the Election Commission on May 2 ordered repolling in the constituency citing “severe electoral offences” and alleged “subversion of the democratic process”. There had been allegations of electoral malpractices in the seat.

The fresh vote was held on...

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