The men behind the vote machine

KOLKATA: The Trinamool leadership's snubbing of the Election Commission has had a trickle-down effect.Cossipore Trinamool leader Anwar Khan -dubbed Kolkata's Anubrata -lived up to his nickname on voting day when he barked at his men on the ground to "clobber EC with shoes". This was in full public view, right in front of the media and with a police officer standing nonchalantly next to him.

What's more, Anwar was supposed to be under `observation' in his home on EC's orders for allegedly threatening voters. Anwar not only thumbed his nose at EC, but also slipped `underground' for over five hours right under the eyes of police. By the time he was arrested, around 3.30pm, the bulk of the voting was over.

Kolkata Police, which claims to make Kolkata the safest Metro in India, are facing embarrassing questions on how one of their officers stood by and let him insult a constitutional body (police are technically under EC during election) while those meant to watch him couldn't stop his brazen escape.

TOI was witness to the drama that began as early as 8.30am. Anwar, under house watch, came out to wave at his supporters and then began taking mobile calls.When asked how it felt to be called `Kolkata's Anubrata', he said it was an opposition conspiracy . "The more the EC takes action against me, the stronger Trinamool will become," he said.

The dramatic phone call happened in front of the media around 9am. Anwar was heard telling his men: "EC ke muh pe juta maro. Area mein itna vote karo ki EC ka plan sab fail ho gaye (We will give a resounding slap to the EC.Ensure massive voting so that all of EC's plans are foiled)."

This exploded on TV screens, turning Anwar into the face of Trinamool's vote machinery . The EC reacted immediately . Police commissioner Soumen Mitra was ordered to take action. It was then that Anwar pulled off his Houdini act right in front of two constables and an ASI guarding his house. He hopped on a bike and zoomed off. He was apparently last seen at Bibirbazar. While red-faced cops fanned out to look for him, speculation was rife that he might be hiding in a neighbouring constituency with one of his "godfathers" who is a candidate. But his aides boasted he will not leave his own constituency . DC-north Subhankar Sinha Roy and the detective department formed six teams that went hunting across north Kolkata.Around 3.30pm, he was arrested from Seven Tanks in Cossipore. He has been slapped stringent charges.

The opposition sees a clear "tactics" in this. "We could not put up polling agents across Cossipore, especially areas where Anwar's writ runs. During the time Anwar was missing, complaints of false voting and booth jamming poured in from Seven Tanks area in Sinthi and Rabindra Bharati University on BT Road. Trinamool kept pushing men from Baranagar and Dum Dum to act as proxy voters," alleged Kani nika Bose Ghosh, the jote candidate from CossiporeBelgachhia. She had a showdown with a central force jawan at one of these booths. "I have informed EC of outsiders taking over booths on Anwar's instructions. But no one took any action," alleged Kaninika.