Tension mounts in West Bengal over vote counting, Mamata keeps vigil at strongroom

Tensions have escalated in West Bengal ahead of the announcement of results for the 294-seat assembly election scheduled for May 4. The Trinamool Congress has gone on high alert after several exit polls predicted a win for the BJP. Alleging attempts to rig the vote counting process, the party has intensified security at all counting centres. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself spent four hours at an EVM strongroom in her Bhabanipur constituency.

Banerjee arrived at the strongroom late Thursday night and remained inside until 12:07 am. She alleged that the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission, was planning to manipulate the counting process. She instructed party workers to guard every strongroom 24 hours a day until May 4.

"I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter. If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated," she warned.

Earlier on Thursday evening, Trinamool candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata, alleging that CCTV footage showed unauthorised persons inside a sealed strongroom. They claimed that postal ballots were being tampered with.

Their protest soon drew a counter-protest from BJP leaders, including candidates Tapas Roy and Santosh Pathak, leading to heated confrontations between supporters of both parties. Central forces intervened and used baton charges to disperse the protesters.

The Election Commission dismissed all allegations. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated that the process shown in the footage was the routine and legally mandated segregation of postal ballots. He said all political parties had been informed via email in advance. Officials also confirmed that strongrooms are under three-tier security cover, and no unauthorised entry is possible.

"The EVM strongrooms are fully secure. The counting process is being conducted strictly according to rules. There is no basis for any allegation of wrongdoing," the CEO said.

Counting of votes will begin on the morning of May 4.