New Delhi: Stray incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful.
Bengal reported 82 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of the 2021 Assembly election while Assam, which also began voting today, reported 76.9% per cent turnout.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's younger brother was reportedly attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters in Contai town in East Midnapur district, his party alleged. His car was vandalised and his was driver injured in the attack. The Trinamool is facing a stern test from the BJP in its bid for a third straight term.
The situation in Assam, meanwhile, is largely peaceful. The BJP is hoping to win a second straight term in the state, with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal the biggest name on the ballot today. "We will get more than 100 seats," Mr Sonowal said. Mr Gogoi, meanwhile, visited a polling booth in Jorhat to cast vote. "It's a very emotional moment for me as it's the first time after many years that I'm coming to a polling station without my parents. Confident that people are going to vote out politics of lies and deceit and voting for politics that guarantees that their future is bright," Mr Gogoi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam are voting in the first phase of assembly elections today amid a resurgent Covid crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Polling is being held in 30 of the 294 constituencies of West Bengal and 47 of the 126 in Assam.
West Bengal will vote in eight-phases while the exercise will be completed in Assam in three phases on March 27, April 1 and 6. Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray.
The state polls to the two states apart from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry are the first, after the assembly elections in Bihar, to be held during the pandemic.
Here are the Highlights On Assembly Elections 2021:
Mar 27, 2021 21:40 (IST)
Nearly 82% Turnout In Bengal, 76% In Assam In Phase 1 Polls
Bengal reported 82 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of the 2021 Assembly election while Assam, which also began voting today, reported 76.9% per cent turnout.
Mar 27, 2021 19:07 (IST)
80% Turnout In Bengal, 72% In Assam Till 6 PM
Bengal reported 79.79 per cent voter turnout till 6 pm in the first phase of the 2021 Assembly election. Assam, which also began voting today, reported 72.14 per cent turnout till the same time.
Mar 27, 2021 17:57 (IST)
Activists Of BJP, Trinamool Congress Clash In Bengal's Nandigram, 3 Injured
Activists of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) clashed in Bengal's Nandigram constituency -- which is set to go to polls on April 1 -- seriously injuring at least three, a senior police officer said, reported news agency PTI.
Seikh Sufiyan, the election agent of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, however, claimed that goons hired by the BJP carried out an attack on the workers of the state's ruling party, a charge denied by the BJP camp.
"All three, who sustained injuries during the attack, are activists of the TMC. They were rushed to SSKM hospital in Kolkata. The condition of one of them has been stated to be serious," Mr Sufiyan said.
Mar 27, 2021 17:44 (IST)
79.8% Turnout Till 5PM In Bengal, 72.1% In Assam
Bengal registers 79.8% turnout across 30 assembly constituencies till 5PM while Assam 72.1% across 47 constituencies.
Mar 27, 2021 17:25 (IST)
"Your Visa Should Be Cancelled": Mamata Banerjee On PM's Bangladesh Trip
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visit to Bangladesh, accusing him of trying to influence voters in West Bengal where polling began for the eight-phase assembly election in the morning.
"Elections are underway here and he (PM) goes to Bangladesh and lectures on Bengal. It is a total violation of code of conduct of the election," Ms Banerjee said at a campaign event in Kharagpur, according to news agency ANI.
"In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when a Bangladeshi actor attended our rally, BJP spoke to Bangladesh government and cancelled his visa. When polls are underway here, you (PM) go to Bangladesh to seek votes from one section of people. Why shouldn't your visa be cancelled? We will complain to the Election Commission," she said.
Mar 27, 2021 16:31 (IST)
Confront BJP-Hired Goons With Ladle, Spatula: Mamata Banerjee Tells Women In Bengal
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that the BJP is bringing in goons from outside to stop people from exercising their franchise in Bengal and urged women to "confront the hoodlums with ladle, spatula" and other cooking utensils, reported news agency PTI.
Addressing two public rallies at Narayangarh and Pingla in West Midnapore district, the Trinamool Congress chief dubbed Suvendu Adhikari and his family as "traitors", and claimed that one member of the household was seen distributing money among people on Friday night, hours before 30 assembly constituencies of the state went to polls.
Mar 27, 2021 15:52 (IST)
70.2% Voter Turnout In Bengal Till 3 PM
Bengal records 70.2 per cent turnout till 3 pm across 30 assembly constituencies in the first phase of the state assembly polls.
Mar 27, 2021 13:44 (IST)
Trinamool Delegation Meets Chief Electoral Officer In Kolkata
A delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders met Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata, reported news agency ANI.
"BJP had submitted a memorandum requesting to change the system of appointing booth agents wherein he must be a voter of the concerned booth and allow anybody at any booth," said TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay.
"The new system is not acceptable to us. We demand that from the next phase the polling agent must be local of the concerned polling booth. The Chief Electoral Officer has assured to look into the matter," Mr Bandyopadhyay said.
Mar 27, 2021 13:18 (IST)
46.8% Voter Turnout In Bengal Till 12:30 PM
Bengal records 46.8 per cent turnout till 12:30 pm across 30 assembly constituencies in the first phase of the state assembly polls.
