Bankura: Only 22 per cent votes were polled till 1500 hours in the Maoist-hit areas of Bankura district following a poll-boycott call by the ultras.
Official sources said areas under Barikul and Ranibadh police station areas witnessed about 22 per cent of turnout till late in the afternoon. The Maoist call for poll boycott seemed to have deterred the people from coming to booths, the sources said.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) supporters looted more than hundred ballot papers from Punisole polling booths. The matter came to light on the complaint of RSP workers. The District Magistrate, Surendra Gupta has ordered re-election in the booth following the complaint.
Incidentally, RSP and CPI(M) are partners of ruling Left Front and they have reached an understaning on poll strategy at the top level, although discontentment has been running high among grassroot workers mainly on the issue of farmland acquisition for industrialisation in West Bengal.
