Bengal polls: 103-year-old casts vote for first time
Cooch
Behar,
May
5:
Asgar
Ali
perhaps
became
the
oldest
first-time
voter
in
India
when
he
cast
his
ballot
in
the
final
phase
of
the
West
Bengal
Assembly
election
in
Cooch
Behar
district
of
North
Bengal
on
Thursday
(May
5)
at
the
age
of
103.
Assembly
Polls
2016
Coverage;
What
happened
in
May
5
phase
Born in 1913, Ali has been a resident of three countries and a citizen of India now. But the opportunity to cast the vote is not something which has completely impressed the veteran. According to a report in The Indian Express, Ali said though he and his family have been provided with election cards, they are yet to get ration cards and that leaves them with the problem of feeding themselves. [Confident Mamata didn't campaign in Nandigram]
Over 9,700 residents of erswhile enclaves were due to vote in the election on Thursday, the first time ever for them. Ali also believes it could be his final time, said the report.
The man also cited the election cards fraught with mistakes. He said genders have been goofed up as well as the names. He also asked about the ration cards and said they are yet to get the kerosene as was promised.
Ali also negated the claims made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that her government has given rice at Rs 2 a kg to all residents of the enclaves. Ali's grandson Joynal Adedin said it's a lie as they haven't got even 200 grams of rice at rs 2, the report added. He said those who have come Bangladesh and are being hosted by the Government of India are getting free rice, the IE report added.
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