Tamluk, May 12: The East Midnapore CPM today alleged that polling agents of the party were driven out of booths in Nandigram by suspected Trinamul workers.

The CPM, which has over the past few days complained about Trinamul intimidation in Nandigram, today said party cadres were driven out and assaulted in 54 booths in Kalicharanpur, Gokulnagar, Mohammadpur and Sonachura.

Sources said only 20 of the 54 booths had central forces guarding them. There are 271 booths in Nandigram constituency and a combined electorate of 2.13 lakh voters.

Niranjan Sihi, the district secretariat member of the CPM, said Trinamul workers had hired goons from outside to threaten CPM supporters ahead of the polls. “On Saturday night, masked Trinamul workers went to every household and warned our party supporters against voting. Our agents were assaulted and chased out of 54 booths by 9am. Trinamul then resorted to rigging,” Sihi said.

Denying the allegation, Tamluk Trinamul candidate Subhendu Adhikari said: “There was no incident of violence in East Midnapore, nor was any polling agent driven out.”