Violence marred the opening phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls on Thursday, 23 April 2026, as Subhendu Sarkar, the BJP’s nominee from Kumarganj, was allegedly attacked near a polling booth. 

A widely circulated video showed the candidate being slapped and then running into adjoining fields as a crowd advanced towards him. The BJP claimed the assailants were workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), a charge the party has strongly denied.

Sarkar, who later spoke to the media, alleged that polling agents from his party had been forcibly removed from multiple stations and that his car had been vandalised in the chaos. “In the Kumarganj Assembly constituency, our polling agents in 8-10 polling stations were forcibly removed… When I visited Booth No. 24… they launched an attack on my entire team and me… Central Forces were present… but when I arrived on the scene, I was accompanied only by my bodyguard,” he said. He further accused Mamata Banerjee of acting out of “fear and desperation,” declaring, “Mamata Banerjee has lost the election… out of sheer desperation and fear, they launched an attack on us.”

EC orders swift action after assault video emerges

Senior BJP leaders alleged that Sarkar had been stopped, assaulted and denied protection even as police personnel stood by. Party officials said he was taken for medical examination after the incident.

Taking a stern view, the Election Commission directed immediate arrests of individuals identifiable in the video footage. Police teams and central forces have since tightened security in sensitive pockets of the constituency.

The TMC has dismissed all allegations, insisting that the BJP is attempting to “manufacture chaos” to discredit the polling process.

Sporadic clashes reported across first phase constituencies

Beyond Kumarganj, scattered violence and confrontations were reported from multiple pockets as voting progressed across 152 seats. By 11 am, turnout had already crossed 41 percent, signalling robust participation despite tensions.

In Naoda, clashes erupted between supporters of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party and the TMC. Security forces resorted to baton charges after stone-pelting and vandalism were reported during the visit of AJUP leader Humayun Kabir. Kabir accused the ruling party of intimidating voters, while the TMC condemned the violence and denied responsibility.

A BJP polling agent in Labhpur was also reportedly injured in an assault, though TMC leaders rejected any involvement.

Crude bomb tension sparks fresh confrontation in Nowda

Hours before polling began, tensions flared in Nowda following crude bomb explosions the previous night. During his visit to the area, Kabir staged a sit-in protest, accusing a police officer of using excessive force against his supporters. He demanded the officer’s removal and urged the Election Commission to act against those responsible for the unrest.

A confrontation later broke out between AJUP and TMC workers, with both sides using lathis, throwing stones and damaging vehicles before security personnel dispersed them.

(With ANI inputs)