PATIENT WAIT: People queuing up to cast their vote in the second phase of the Assembly polls in Howrah district on Saturday. — PHOTO: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH

KOLKATA: Polling in 66 constituencies in four districts of West Bengal in the second round of the five-phase Assembly elections passed off peacefully on Saturday. The voter turnout was 74 per cent.

The first phase of voting was held on April 17, when the poll percentage was around 81 per cent.

The districts that went to the polls amid elaborate security arrangements were Medinipur, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia. In all, 348 candidates are in the fray in this region, that has an electorate of more than 11 million.

An exit poll conducted by a local television channel `Star Ananda' predicted 50 seats for the Left Front, 12 for the Trinamool Congress and three for the Congress. Polls conducted by two other channels also said the Left Front was in for a clean sweep in the constituencies where polling was held.

"There was no report of any major untoward incident. Polling was peaceful and spontaneous," Chief Electoral Officer Debashish Sen said. Long queues were seen outside booths well past the voting time. The voting percentage could rise further, officials said.

People who claimed to have photo-identity cards but whose names were missing from the rolls surrounded Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Kumar, in Chakdah area of Nadia district. They dispersed after Mr. Kumar instructed officials to look into the matter.

Biman Bose, State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and chairman of the Left Front Committee, thanked the people for turning out in large numbers.

"The Left parties will get a larger share of the percentage of votes this time than in the last Assembly polls," he said.

There was a flutter when a Border Security Force jawan, who was on duty in Uluberia constituency of Howrah district, shot himself dead with his service rifle.

He was allegedly suffering from depression.

In Ranaghat West constituency in Nadia district, a group of BSF jawans allegedly manhandled a CPI(M) candidate as they failed to recognise him.

Local party leaders filed a complaint to the BSF Commanding Officer.

More than 500 companies of Central paramilitary forces were deployed across the district for the smooth conduct of polls. Jawans were posted outside polling stations and also patrolled roads leading to the booths.

Policemen kept a check on vehicles passing over the Howrah Bridge that connects Kolkata with Howrah.

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