As the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and the BJP squared off over the security of “strongrooms” amid vote-tampering allegations at centres across Kolkata, the Election Commission today ordered repoll at 15 polling stations of two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on May 2.The repoll has been ordered at 11 polling stations of the Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour after 77 complaints of EVM tampering were received from three seats. Polling in these constituencies was held in the final phase of the state elections on April 29.A day after voting, Mamata opened a new front, accusing the BJP of attempting to tamper with electronic voting machines (EVMs) at various centres. BJP leaders, however, said the TMC supremo was throwing tantrums fearing loss in the elections.Late on Thursday, Mamata staged a sit-in outside the Sakhawat Memorial School strongroom where the EVMs from her Bhabanipur constituency had been kept after the voting. Her presence drew BJP supporters in large numbers, resulting in jostling between them and TMC cadres, prompting intervention by security forces.At other centres too, similar allegations were made by TMC leaders. Mamata asked her supporters to keep a round-the-clock vigil outside the Netaji Subhas Indoor Stadium and the Kshudiram Anusilani Kendra, where EVMs from other constituencies had been kept. She urged supporters to resist any attempt by the BJP to tamper with EVMs.BJP leaders, however, alleged that the TMC was protesting to prepare the ground for rigged elections in the face of defeat.Stakes are high for both the TMC and BJP this time. While Mamata is trying hard to win a record fourth consecutive term — becoming the first woman Chief Minister to do so, if she succeeds — the BJP wants to thwart her attempt and establish itself as the first right-wing party to rule West Bengal.Party analysts on both sides are divided over the tilt of the 32 lakh new voters who were added to the voters’ list in the run-up to the elections.According to observers, the unprecedented turnout, crossing 90 per cent in both phases, may have been the result of a significant shrinking of the voter base, i.e. from over seven crore voters in the 2021 elections to nearly six crore now.In all, over 91 lakh names had been deleted from the voters’ list this time. Of these, around 50 lakhs were deceased or false voters. Another 60 lakh voters were removed under the “logical discrepancy” category. Of these, 30 lakh names were restored, though more than 27 lakh voters whose names were being reviewed by the appellate tribunal couldn’t vote.Nearly 32 lakh new voters were added to the voters’ list this time. Many of them were those who didn’t vote in the previous elections, while some became eligible in these elections. Their presence has sparked off a verbal duel between the TMC and BJP, as both sides claim that the new entrants have voted in their favour.