Security around outgoing Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat in south Kolkata was beefed up on Monday afternoon following a directive of the Election Commission after a group of people reached near the place and raised "Jai Shri Ram" slogans near her home, a senior official said.
The security around the state secretariat, Nabanna, was also tightened following the poll panel’s directive.
The Election Commission website has shown that till 3.30 pm, the BJP is leading 195 seats in the 294-member West Bengal assembly, while Mamata’s Trinamool is ahead in 92 seats.
"Central forces have been deployed around Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence and state secretariat after we got reports that a group of people reached there and raised slogans. We do not want any disruption of law and order," the official said.
"We will not take any chance, and anyone trying to break the peace will face strict action.”
The poll panel has asked the police not to allow any victory rally of any political party on Monday, primarily to maintain law and order in the state.
All victory rallies will be allowed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Mamata reached the counting centre for the high-profile Bhabanipur assembly constituency following allegations that a TMC agent had been forced out.
She reached Sakhawat Memorial Govt Girls' High School, the designated counting venue on Lord Sinha Road, as her lead against leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly Suvendu Adhikari narrowed over the last few rounds.
Adhikari is already present at the counting centre.
TMC leaders claimed that one of its counting agents had been forced out of the centre, leading to Mamata’s arrival at the venue.
The Bhabanipur contest emerged as one of the most keenly watched battles in the state, with both leaders locked in a prestige fight that has seen sharp swings through the day.
Counting of votes for the 293 assembly constituencies began at 8am, with the BJP establishing a significant lead and consolidating through the day.
Left, Congress cut sorry figure
The Left Front was leading in only one seat and the Congress in two, cutting a sorry figure in the Bengal Assembly polls. Both parties had drawn a bank in the 2021 state polls.
The Congress is leading in Raninagar and Farakka, and the CPM in Domkal, all in Murshidabad district which witnessed communal violence during the anti-Waqf Act protests last year.
The Left Front contested in 252 seats and had forged an alliance with the All India Secular Front (AISF) and CPI(ML) Liberation. The Congress decided to go it alone in all the 294 constituencies in West Bengal.
The AISF is leading in one seat.
The Left Front, the Congress and the AISF had contested the 2021 Bengal Assembly polls under a seat-sharing arrangement.
