Kolkata:
The penultimate phase of West Bengal Assembly elections recorded a turnout of 82.2 per cent, which ended peacefully in four Maoist-affected districts on Saturday.
Thirty eight Assembly constituencies in Bengal saw polling in the fifth phase of election including the districts of Purulia, Bankura, Bardhaman and West Midnapore which have traditionally supported the Left.
The fate of health minister and CPM stalwart Suryakanta Mishra and WBPCC president Manas Bhunia, who were among the 193 candidates were sealed in EVMs.
Six persons were arrested from Raghunathpur area of Bankura district and four from Pingla and Chandrakona town in West Midnapore district, official sources said.
Election observers and the police rushed to Keshpur in the same district after the Trinamool Congress alleged that CPM supporters were jamming booths and preventing genuine voters from casting their votes.
The big question though is: Will this heavy turnout be in favour of the Congress-TMC combine and help it make inroads in seats that have always sided with the Left Front?
In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress and Trinamool, riding on the back of massive land agitations in Nandigram and Singur, together had leads over the Left Front in as many as 185 out of the 294 Assembly seats in Bengal, which helped them win 26 Lok Sabha seats.
Yet, the Bankura and Bishnupur Lok Sabha seats remained firmly with the Left - a situation the Congress-TMC combine is hoping to better this time round.
"There should be something new, we want change," said a voter.
"We want peace, and violence is something we want to avoid completely," said another.
Whatever the outcome of the polls, people in areas like Bankura and Purulia will hope that the new government can develop these areas, ranked amongst the lowest in terms of Human Development Indices across West Bengal, as per state government figures.
(With PTI inputs)
Thirty eight Assembly constituencies in Bengal saw polling in the fifth phase of election including the districts of Purulia, Bankura, Bardhaman and West Midnapore which have traditionally supported the Left.
The fate of health minister and CPM stalwart Suryakanta Mishra and WBPCC president Manas Bhunia, who were among the 193 candidates were sealed in EVMs.
Six persons were arrested from Raghunathpur area of Bankura district and four from Pingla and Chandrakona town in West Midnapore district, official sources said.
Election observers and the police rushed to Keshpur in the same district after the Trinamool Congress alleged that CPM supporters were jamming booths and preventing genuine voters from casting their votes.
The big question though is: Will this heavy turnout be in favour of the Congress-TMC combine and help it make inroads in seats that have always sided with the Left Front?
In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress and Trinamool, riding on the back of massive land agitations in Nandigram and Singur, together had leads over the Left Front in as many as 185 out of the 294 Assembly seats in Bengal, which helped them win 26 Lok Sabha seats.
Yet, the Bankura and Bishnupur Lok Sabha seats remained firmly with the Left - a situation the Congress-TMC combine is hoping to better this time round.
"There should be something new, we want change," said a voter.
"We want peace, and violence is something we want to avoid completely," said another.
Whatever the outcome of the polls, people in areas like Bankura and Purulia will hope that the new government can develop these areas, ranked amongst the lowest in terms of Human Development Indices across West Bengal, as per state government figures.
(With PTI inputs)
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