West Bengal Elections highlights: Ending speculation, EC says no plan to club last 3 phases

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has slammed the Election Commission, accusing it of not acting against Model Code of Conduct violations committed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah while campaigning in West Bengal. Stay tuned to DH for more updates.

11 more police observers to be deployed for Bengal assembly polls: Official

The Election Commission has decided to deploy 11 more police observers in West Bengal ahead of the fifth phase of the assembly polls on April 17, as a precautionary measure to avoid any Sitalkuchi-like incident where four people were killed in CISF firing, an official said on Thursday.

Currently, 55 police observers are working in the state for the ongoing elections, he said.

"The EC has decided to deploy 11 more police observers ahead of the fifth phase of polling on April 17 in 45 assembly constituencies. We do not want a repetition of any Sitalkuchi-like incident," the official said.

Election Commission bars Dilip Ghosh from campaigning for 24 hours, serves notice to Syantan Basu

The Election Commission on Thursday barred the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s unit in West Bengal, Dilip Ghosh, from campaigning for the next 24 hours, as he flouted the Model Code of Conduct with his “highly provocative” remarks.

Read more

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and actor-turned Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan during a road show in Kolkata. Credit: PTI Photo

Retiring CECs, election commissioners should be barred from accepting govt-sponsored posts: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Thursday said in view of the "taming" of the Election Commission (EC) by the ruling BJP in the ongoing Assembly polls in four states and a Union Territory, retiring CECs and election commissioners should be barred from accepting any government-sponsored posts.

The editorial in the latest edition of the party's mouthpiece, People's Daily, said the prerequisite for a free-and-fair election is an impartial EC, which can ensure a level-playing field for all the political parties, deal firmly with offenders and resist executive interference at all levels.

It also raised questions on the role of the EC in the state polls, particularly in West Bengal, and described it as "controversial". It then went on to list several decisions of the poll panel, which it found questionable.

Ending speculation, EC says no plan to club last 3 phases of Bengal polls

The Election Commission on Thursday dismissed speculation that the last three phases of assembly polls in West Bengal could be clubbed in view of the surge in coronavirus cases in the country.

Since this morning, there has been speculation in the media that the last three phases of the assembly elections on April 22, 26 and 29 could be clubbed into a single phase.

"(There is) no such plan of clubbing phases," an EC spokesperson in response to queries.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikary during an election campaign rally for the Assembly polls, at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district. Credit: PTI Photo

Fight between a greenhorn and a veteran in Rajarhat-Gopalpur seat

The Rajarhat-Gopalpur constituency in North 24 Parganas district, which will go to the polls in the fifth phase on April 17, is seeing a disparity in the pitching levels of the two main parties in the fray - the TMC and BJP whose candidates have varied levels of experience in electoral politics.

TMC has fielded Aditi Munshi Chakraborty, who is a noted kirtan singer and a political greenhorn. Pitched against her is BJP's state spokesman and the party's veteran leader Shamik Bhattacharya.

The constituency comprises areas like Baguiati, Kestopur, Jyangra, parts of arterial VIP Road, Jawpur and some parts of Nagerbazar of the city with an electorate base of more that 2.40 lakh people.

FIR against Mamata in Cooch Behar for 'instigating' people to gherao central forces

An FIR has been lodged against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a police station here, alleging that she instigated voters to gherao central forces and that, in turn, led to the incident of firing in Sitalkuchi and the subsequent death of four persons.

Siddique Ali Mia, the zilla president of BJP's minority cell in Cooch Behar, cited the TMC supremo's comments during a rally in Banerswar area as he filed a complaint on Wednesday claiming that her address provoked people to attack CISF personnel during the fourth phase of state elections.

Election Commission of India has imposed a 24-hour ban on chief of BJP's West Bengal's unit Dilip Ghosh for violating the Model Code of Conduct, prohibits him from campaigning from 7 pm on April 15 to 7 pm on April 16.

Amid an ongoing pandemic, we firmly opposed EC's decision to conduct WB polls in 8 phases, tweets Mamata

Now, in view of the huge surge in Covid-19 cases, I urge the ECI to consider holding the remaining phases in one go. This will protect the people from further exposure to Covid-19, she added.

Bengal polls: Mamata holds roadshow in Kolkata, greets people on Bengali New Year

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday held a roadshow here as she sought to bolster the ruling TMC's campaign in the ongoing assembly elections, and wished people peace and prosperity on the occasion of Bengali New Year.

Accompanied by yesteryear Bollywood icon and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, Banerjee was seen greeting the crowd with security personnel pushing her wheelchair.

Will Mamata be able to retain her Muslim vote base with ISF, AIMIM in fray?

Comprising almost 30 per centof the total population in the state, Muslim voters have always been a key political factor in West Bengal. Since the 2011 Assembly elections when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to power for the first time, they have firmly backed the party. But at that time, there were no outfits like the recently formed Indian Secular Front (ISF) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) which could potentially challenge TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s hold on the Muslim community then.

Read more

EC has asked BJP's Sayantan Basu to explain his 'inflammatory statement'

Election Commission of India issues notice to BJP's Sayantanu Basu over "inflammatory statement" an "open threat to Bengal & its people" delivered at a rally in North 24 Parganas' Baranagar.

Narendra Modi, Amit Shah can easily control Mamata: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Modi-Shah duo can easily control West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the BJP has the “remote controlof whoever is involved in corruption".

Read more

West Bengal Assembly Election Result 2016

West Bengal's Chief Electoral Office has called for an all-party meeting asking all political parties to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines that were mandated by the Election Commission of India, says an ECI official.

The EC has also said that there is no plan to club voting phases into one.

Watch DH's playlist of West Bengal Assembly election videos here

Intention of BJP is now crystal clear. In Assam BJP used Bengalis as their vote bank and later they have been given the status of doubtful citizen. Open your eyes and see what BJP actually is, tweets TMC MLA Sujit Bose

Covid-19-positive Congress candidate dies at Kolkata hospital

Congress candidate Rezaul Haque, who tested positive for Covid-19 two days ago, died at a hospital here early on Thursday, health department sources said.

Haque, 46, the party's nominee from Samsherganj assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, was initially admitted to a private hospital in Jangipur on Wednesday following bouts of breathing trouble, they said.

He was later referred to a medical facility in Kolkata after his condition deteriorated at night.

Mamata challenges PM Modi to do sit-ups holding ears if caught lying

Soon after the 24-hour ban on canvassing ended, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's jibe that she had not done anything for the Matua community and said that ifcaught lying, she would leave politics, while PM Modi, if caught lying, would have to do sit-ups holding his ears.

Read more here

Congress candidate from Samsherganj in Murshidabad district Rezaul Haque passes away

BJP will not get even 70 seats in West Bengal, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the BJP will not be able to win even 70 seats in the ongoing state Assembly elections which many expect to be a cliff-hanger.

Read more here

Will Mamata be able to retain her Muslim vote base with ISF, AIMIM in fray?

Comprising almost 30 per centof the total population in the state, Muslim voters have always been a key political factor in West Bengal. Since the 2011 Assembly elections when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to power for the first time, they have firmly backed the party. But at that time, there were no outfits like the recently formed Indian Secular Front (ISF) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) which could potentially challenge TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee’s hold on the Muslim community then.

Read more here

Narendra Modi, Amit Shah can easily control Mamata: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Modi-Shah duo can easily control West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the BJP has the “remote controlof whoever is involved in corruption".

Read more here

BJP leaders wear saffron without knowing its significance, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday attacked the BJP claiming that its leaders sport saffron attire but they have no idea about the significance of the colour. Apparently referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is now seen in a long white beard, she said that no one becomes Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore by sporting a beard like him.

Read more here

Bell for Mamata's departure has already rung: J P Nadda

BJP president J P Nadda has hit out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the language she used against BJP top leaders and for disrespecting the culture of Bengal and said the bell for her departure has already rung.

Read more here

Mamata's party slams EC for overlooking poll-code violations by Modi, Shah

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday slammed the Election Commission, accusing it of not acting against Model Code of Conduct violations committed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah while campaigning in West Bengal.

Read more here

Good morning and welcome to the live coverage of the West Bengal Assembly elections 2021. Stay tuned to DH to get all the updates.