Mamata Banerjee casts vote late, CPM leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharya stays home due to poor health

Ms Banerjee had arrived at a booth in Mitra Institution at Harish Mukherjee Road in Bhowanipur around 1500 hours and cast her vote.

She arrived along with her party leader and mayoral member of KMC Debashish Kumar, and cast her vote on the EVM at the booth.

Ms Banerjee hit out at the BJP and central forces for "torturing" Bengal.

After casting her vote, Ms Banerjee lashed out at the BJP and central security forces for "torturing" West Bengal. "I have never seen anything like this before," she said.

In all nine Lok Sabha seats went to the final phase polling today in Bengal.

Her predecessor and arch rival CPM's Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who was CM from 2000 to 2011, could not come to a polling station, also in south Kolkata, owing to his poor health condition. Sources said the former chief minister's wife and daughter had come to cast their vote.

The 75-year-old-old former CPM politburo member, who was seen at the Left Front rally at Brigade Parade Ground on February 3 last, had expressed his willingness to cast ballot this time after watching massive crowds at the rally.

Mr Bhattacharya had remained in his car, equipped with necessary medical equipment, and listened to the rally.

 
Image credit: UNI