Falta repoll sees high turnout, peaceful voting after TMC candidate withdrawal

FALTA/KOLKATA: Bengal's Falta assembly constituency clocked a high 87.9% turnout (till 8pm) in Thursday's repoll as voters, guarded by heavy CAPF deployment, spoke of casting ballots "without fear" for the first time in years, while TMC flags all but disappeared after party candidate Jahangir Khan withdrew from the contest 48 hours before voting. Polling remained peaceful, election officials said, a sharp contrast to April 29 when EC countermanded voting in Falta - one of seven assembly segments under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat represented by TMC's Abhishek Banerjee. It was the lone seat in Bengal where a repoll was ordered following allegations of widespread electoral malpractice, including booth capture, EVM tampering and intimidation. Falta had then registered a 91.8% turnout. "High percentage of voting in Falta is unprecedented for a repoll. Usually, turnout in repolls dips. Here, voters responded to EC's participation campaign and turned up in a festive mood," Bengal additional CEO Dibyendu Das said. Counting is scheduled for Sunday. Across Falta, central forces outnumbered local political muscle. Voters repeatedly pointed to the absence of bikers and booth-side watchers, who they claimed had long shaped polling day equations. "There are around 15 CAPF personnel here. Another 20-odd with two armoured Marksmen vehicles from J&K are standing on the main road. But more importantly, there are no bikers; there are no men keeping watch on you at the booth," voter Firoza Bibi said. The mood shift was starkest at Srirampur, Jahangir's home pocket, where brisk polling was seen under the near-total absence of TMC colours. Yet whispers of tactical voting persisted in minority pockets such as Gopalpur, Bapra and Rukhia, where residents spoke of quiet mobilisation behind an Independent candidate contesting on an Apple symbol. Turnout there remained subdued. For younger voters, the repoll carried symbolism beyond numbers. "For the first time since 2021, this election felt like a festival. Back then, bikers told me I was under watch and should not try to be adventurous," 23-year-old Alia Das said. Hashimnagar, a flashpoint of violence and unrest on April 29, saw turnout stay below 50% till afternoon. But residents spoke as though the verdict were already sealed. BJP candidate Debangshu Panda claimed anti-TMC sentiment had snowballed into a landslide.