India: The three-tier West Bengal Panchayat Elections concluded on a bloody note with 18 persons reported killed, many injured, several ballot boxes stolen and bombs exploding at various places.

Elections for 73,887 seats, including zila parishads, gram panchayats and panchayat samitis, commenced across 61,636 booths and progressed amid reports of violence and bloodshed from across the state, mainly Cooch Behar, Murshidabad, Nadia and places in South 24 Parganas.

The violent rural elections led to the BJP demanding the imposition of President’s rule in Bengal and accusing the state government of robbing Bengal of its global identity as a hub of culture and awakening. “Bengal, once known for its culture, literature and knowledge, has today emerged as an example of crime, dangerous appeasement, anti-national activities and use of violence as a political tool,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshi Trivedi said.

Leader of the opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP called for President’s rule.