West Bengal Elections 2021 Highlights: It’s the assembly elections season in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Polling happened in a single phase in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on April 6, while voters in Assam cast their votes in three phases. Polling in Bengal is happening in eight phases. Of these, five phases have concluded. The next phase will take place on April 22. The election campaign and canvassing have continued there in full swing. Counting of votes in all states will happen on May 2. In Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is fighting to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s surge at bay. The saffron party has shown a dramatic electoral rise in the state over the last few years. In Assam, the state’s governing BJP is hoping to retain power even as it faces ‘Mahajot’, the joint opposition alliance comprising the Congress, AIUDF and other regional parties. Congress and the Left Front, which are allies in Bengal, are competing for power in Kerala. The Congress-led UDF and the ruling LDF have been winning alternate elections since the early 1980s. Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK has continued its alliance with the BJP amid a challenge from MK Stalin-led DMK and its alliance partners. However, one of the key things to watch out for in the southern state is how some of the smaller parties – including that of actor Kamal Haasan and TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK – may impact the poll outcome. With their government having collapsed due to defections weeks before the election, V Narayanasamy-led Congress is battling the BJP-NR Congress alliance in Puducherry.
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Bharatiya Janata Party:
It has been decided that only small public meetings with not more than 500 people will be held by PM Modi and other central ministers in West Bengal. All these public meetings will be held in open spaces following COVID19 guidelines. (ANI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Bharatiya Janata Party:
We have set a target of distribution of 6 crore masks and sanitisers in West Bengal
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Amartya Sen:
If Bengal ends up being governed by central rulers, not local leaders, it will strengthen concentration of power in hands of those whose record on economic policy, social justice are 'seriously defective'.
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | BJP candidate's house attacked
A BJP candidate's house was attacked with crude bombs in West Bengal's North 24Parganas district, police said today. The house of Sanmoy Bandopadhyay, BJP's Panihaticandidate, was attacked late yesterday, they said. The incident happened in the Khardaha police stationarea where Bandopadhyay lives, they added. A person was arrested in connection with the incident, a senior officer of the Barrackpore Police said. There was no report of any injury to anyone, he said. (PTI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates |
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee blames PM Modi for second wave of COVID-19
Holding prime minister Narendra Modi responsible for the second wave of COVID-19 in India, West Bengal chief minister inKaliganj said, "Why didn't you (PM) make plans to stop corona in the last 6 months?... You have to answer this. Prime Minister is responsible for second wave of COVID19. If he would have taken responsible at right time then this wouldn't have happened." (ANI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee:
With folded hands, I urge EC to hold last three phases of polls on a single day or in two days amid COVID-19 surge.
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Law Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad:
Fast-track courts established across country for fast-tracking cases of sexual offences against children, wherein Centre provides 50 percent funds and remaining states do. 123 fast-track courts sanctioned for Bengal. Been writing toMamataBanerjeefor her consent but all in vain. You're a woman chief minister. What's the problem with fast-track courts for sexualoffencesagainst children? (ANI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates |
Pointing to a purported audio tape, in which the TMC boss is apparently heard proposing a rally with the bodies ofCooch Behar firing victims, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah yesterday said he has so far never come across any person who "plays politics over the dead".Insisting that infiltrators are taking away the benefits meant for the country's citizens, he said, "Peoplelike you and I are second-grade citizens for Didi as we do not add heft to her vote bank." He gave assurance that his party, if voted to power in West Bengal, will ensure that cross-border cattle smugglingcomes to a stop once and for all. (PTI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates |
Elections won't be needed to be conducted under the security provided by central forces after the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, said state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh while addressing an election rally at Bhatar constituency in Purba Bardhaman district. "We will straighten the spine of the state police thathas been curved by turning the force into the political agent of the ruling party," Ghosh said.
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates |
80+ electors cast their votes through postal ballot at 161 Ballygunge Assembly constituency of Kolkata South District (Source: CEO West Bengal)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates |
A look at seats won by political parties in the last five West Bengal Assembly polls
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates |
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Aariz Aftab yesterday said that 82.49 percent of 1.13crore voters in 45 assembly constituencies exercised their franchise during the fifth phase of polling on April 17. Of the 45 seats that went to the polls on April 17, 16 were in North 24Parganas, eight each inPurbaMedinipurand Nadia, seven inJalpaiguri, five in Darjeeling and one inKalimpongdistricts. Thebextphase of polling in Bengal will be held on April 22.
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Mamata Banerjee demoralised as BJP much ahead of TMC after five phases of polls in Bengal: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday asserted that the BJP will bagmore than 122 of the 180 seats that went to elections in West Bengal in five phases. Shah, who addressed two rallies during the day, claimed that Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will have to surely make an exit after losing the Nandigram seat to the BJP."Didi is demoralised after five phases of elections as it has been established that the BJP, with more than 122seats, is much ahead of her. Take it from me, Suvendu Adhikari (BJP nominee) is winning the polls from Nandigram," he said ata public meeting in Purbasthali. (PTI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | EC imposes 24-hour campaign ban on BJP's Sayantan Basu, TMC's Sujata Mondal
The Election Commission on Sunday imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on BJP leader Sayantan Basu and Sujata Mondal of the Trinamool Congress for their controversial remarks during the ongoing assembly polls in West Bengal. The bar on campaigning by the leaders will be in force from 7 PM on April 18 to 7 PM on April 19.
In an order, the poll panel said it had carefully considered Mondal's reply to it notice which does not justify the relevant portions of her statement "denigrating the Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal". "Now, therefore, the Commission hereby sternly warns Sujata Mondal and advises her to desist from using such statement while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force," according to the order.
Basu was issued a notice for his remarks that "if you kill one we will kill four of you..." The order on Basu said the Commission "sternly warns and condemns Sayantan Basu and strongly advised him to desist from using such statement while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force." (PTI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Twitter:
"In view of the COVID situation, I am suspending all my public rallies in West Bengal. I would advise all political leaders to think deeply about the consequences of holding large public rallies under the current circumstances."
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | People of Bengal want white beard, not white saree: Dilip Ghosh
In an apparent jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, state BJP chiefDilip Ghosh yesterday said that people want the white beard and not white saree.Ghosh's reference to white beard is apparently to that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The TMC supremo, on the otherhand, is famous for her trademark white saree and Hawaiian slippers. "White saree and Hawaiian slippers have fooled the people of West Bengal for long. That won't happen now. Theydon't want white saree anymore, what they need is the white beard, which will build Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal)," he said, while addressing an election rally at Bhatar constituency in Purba Bardhaman district. (PTI)
West Bengal Elections 2021 LIVE Updates | Trinamool Congress to hold small election meetings in Kolkata amid rise in COVID-19 cases
In view of a spike in COVID-19 cases in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday said her Trinamool Congress would organise small meetings in Kolkata and she would give short speeches in rallies in districts where polling would be held in the remaining three phases. Speaking to a TV channel, Banerjee said she would shorten her speeches at campaigns in different parts of the state to around 20 minutes or so from the usual time of 50 minutes to one hour so that the people don't have to stay long at the meetings. "Yes, we have decided to hold small meetings, street corner-type ones, in the city in the campaigning for next three phases. We will not hold any big gathering any more. Also, my speeches in the meetings addressed by me will be much shorter," she said. (PTI)
Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s LIVE coverage of the campaigning for Assembly election 2021.
It’s the assembly elections season in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Polling happened in a single phase in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on April 6, while voters in Assam cast their votes in three phases. Polling in Bengal is happening in eight phases. Of these, five phases have concluded.
Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for the latest updates through the day.
