Single-phase poll in Bengal if BJP voted to power: State BJP President Dilip Ghosh

Slamming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for raising questions over eight-phase assembly elections, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh Saturday said it was required because of the "political violence unleashed by the ruling TMC", and asserted that his party will ensure single-phase poll if voted to power.

The BJP MP said it will be a matter of pride if the polls are conducted in a single-phase.

Banerjee on Friday questioned the decision of the Election Commission of India to conduct the assembly polls in Bengal in eight phases and suspected that the dates were announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for better management of the BJP's poll campaign.

Elections for the state will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said on Friday while announcing the poll schedule.

The second phase of the assembly elections is scheduled on April 1 and will cover 30 constituencies, followed by the third phase on April 6 for 31 seats, fourth phase on April 10 for 44 seats.

The fifth phase will be held on April 17 for 45 constituencies, the sixth phase for 43 seats on April 22, the seventh phase on April 26 for 36 seats and the last and eighth phase on April 29 for 35 seats, Arora said.

Alleging that the saffron party has its influence on the decision of independent bodies like the ECI, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty asked, "Don't know how he made such comments. Can a political party decide on the phases of an election?"

Meanwhile, a section of BJP supporters alleged that the party's 'Parivartan Yatra' was stopped by police at the Baguihati area in Kolkata Saturday morning.

The saffron party activists blocked VIP road, a major thoroughfare in the north-eastern part of the city, for a few hours, protesting against the police action.

A senior officer of the Baguihati police station claimed that there was no permission for the programme.

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