Record polling in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, May 9: Malda district has recorded more than five per cent increase in the voter turnout this year in comparison to the 2001 Assembly election. According to reports from election officials, 82. 16 per cent polling had been recorded yesterday, whereas in 2001 the percentage hovered around 76.97. In Ratua, however, where CPI-M candidate and minister for food processing industries and horticulture, Mr Sailen Sarkar, contested against Congress candidate, Mr Asit Bose, backed by Union I&B minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, the polling percentage dipped from 78. 53 in 2001 Assembly election to 78.38 this year. CPI-M scored better results in tribal and Scheduled Caste-dominated areas, where their poll percentage increased by 16 per cent. Here, Mr Ramlal Hansda, the BJP candidate, had claimed to have defeated the CPI-M’s Mr Khagen Murmu with help from the Trinamul Congress and the Congress. During the 2001 Assembly election, the polling percentage was 67.50 and during this election, the Assembly segment recorded 83.84 per cent polling. CPI-M district secretary Mr Jiban Maitra said that due to the Election Commission’s high-handedness, the party took to an intensive door-to-door campaign that might have resulted in a high percentage polling in Habibpur and other constituencies. Besides Ratua, that recorded 78.38 per cent polling, Sujapur with 79.69 per cent polling and Manikchak with 75.75 per cent, there are eight constituencies where over 80 per cent voter turnout was recorded. The Kharba Assembly segment in North Malda recorded 85.10 per cent voter turnout. The much-hyped English Bazaar Assembly segment has recorded 81 per cent polling, whereas during the last Assembly election the polling percentage was 77.34 per cent.Election Commission observers claim that stringent management in the Assembly election this year has resulted in increased polling percentage in the district. #