Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday accused the TMC of perpetrating violence during the panchayat polls in West Bengal and invited his counterpart Mamata Banerjee to "learn" from the northeastern state "how to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections".?

Saha also expressed shock over the death of 12 people during the rural polls in West Bengal and alleged that reports of violence reflect that "democracy is being murdered there".?

"Shocking reports coming from West Bengal reflect democracy is being murdered there…! TMC goons in Panchayat polls under the regime of West Bengal Chief Minister @MamataOfficial Ji are restricting people to participate in the democratic festival & creating a tensed environment through violence," Saha said on Twitter.

He also said, "I strongly condemn the violence perpetrated by the TMC hooligans & invite Mamata Ji to learn from #Tripura how to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections. The BJP won 95 per cent of the seats in three-tier panchayat elections in Tripura unopposed in 2019.

The rural polls in Bengal drew towards a bloody finish as 12 people died, bombs exploded and all parties levelled allegations of strong-arm tactics against their rivals on Saturday.?

Eight from the ruling TMC and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress and the ISF died since midnight in the crucial three-tier panchayat polls in West Bengal, officials said.

The ruling TMC accused the opposition parties of orchestrating violence during the rural polls in Bengal while asserting that the party will emerge victorious in a majority of the seats when the votes will be counted on July 11.

Dismissing allegations of the state administration letting loose a reign of terror, state minister Bratya Basu claimed that it is the Trinamool Congress which has been at the "receiving end of the violence".