Assembly Elections 2021 Highlights |PM Modi targets Narayanasamy, says its unique that sitting CM not given ticket

This LIVE blog session has concluded. For the latest news, views and updates, stay logged-on to Moneycontrol.

BJP West Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh today held a roadshow in support of party candidate Asit Haldar, who is contesting from Patharpratima pic.twitter.com/bYAV52BIbe

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2021

Two days after a huge controversy erupted over an audio clip in which Mamata Banerjee was purportedly heard cajoling a BJP leader from Nandigram to help her win the seat, the chief minister Tuesday said that she had indeed called up Pralay Pal as she had got a feedback that he wants to talk to her.
Speaking at an election meeting at Tengua in Nandigram just before the time for campaigning for the second phase of assembly poll came to an end, Banerjee said as a candidate she has every right to call up a voter.

"Yes I had called up this BJP leader in Nandigram. I had got the feedback that someone wants to talk to me. So I talked to him after getting his number. I told him to keep well, to take care of his health. So what is my crime?" the TMC supremo said.

"As a candidate of the constituency I can seek the help of any voter, I can call up anyone. There is no harm in that, it is not a crime," the TMC supremo said.

"But if someone makes the conversation viral that is a criminal offence. Action should be taken against the person who made my conversation viral, not me," Banerjee said adding she will continue to call up people in the same manner in future.

In a show of might ahead of the second phase of Bengal elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a massive roadshow in Nandigram and called upon people to ensure the defeat of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, who is contesting the polls from the high-profile constituency. He stressed that defeating Banerjee from Nandigramwould be a precursor to the much-desired change that Bengal had long been waiting for.

A high-octane electoral campaign for the second phase of Assam assembly polls, spearheaded by an array of national and state leaders, came to an end on Tuesday evening. The second phase of state elections will decide the fate of 345 candidates in 39 seats going to polls on April one. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) issue was at the forefront of the campaign, with the BJP, which had maintained a studied silence on it in the run up to the first phase of voting, raising it in the Barak Valley this time as a carrot to the predominantly Hindu Bengali population, some of whom have their roots in Bangladesh. Read more here.

Decrying the anti-women mindset of the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Left parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at them over the death of the mother of a BJP worker in West Bengal, ShovatheMajumdar, following an assault. In a veiled attack against DMK leader and former union telecom minister A Raja for his objectionable remark against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami's mother, Modi, in a poll rally in Tamil Nadu, said the opposition's 'anti-women mindset' is not restricted to Tamil Nadu alone.In West Bengal, an elderly lady, Shova Majumdar, lost her life, he said.

Slogans of 'Jai Sri Ram' raised by BJP supporters as CM Mamata Banerjee was going to visit the house of a TMC worker who was beaten up and injured

#WATCH Nandigram: Slogans of 'Jai Sri Ram' raised by BJP supporters as CM Mamata Banerjee was going to visit the house of a TMC worker who was beaten up and injured. pic.twitter.com/HjKdDCEh2h

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2021

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday termed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act an "attack" on the language, history and culture of Assam, and promised that his party would not allow it to be implemented in the state if voted to power in the ongoing Assembly polls. Urging the people to vote for the Congress and its 'Mahajot' alliance, he reiterated his party's assurance of providing employment to five lakh youth and Rs 365 minimum wage to tea garden workers. In a video message posted on Twitter, Gandhi said he was to campaign in the state on Tuesday, but could not reach there due to inclement weather. "I could not reach Assam today due to bad weather, but my and the Mahajot's message is clear. We will take Assam forward on the path of progress and prosperity with the five guarantees promised. With that objective, please support the Mahajot by voting in large numbers," he wrote on Twitter along with the video.Gandhi also alleged that the BJP was "attacking" the hill-tribe people by planning to scrap Article 254-A. He pledged that the 'Mahajot' alliance will implement it.

Seeing a "huge wave" in favour of NDA in four poll-boundstates and one UT says PM Modi in Puducherry election rally.

While visiting a TMC workers house in Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee claimed that BJP workers are beating the TMC workers and that she will ask Election Commission for the security of these workers. "This is Balrampur village, Nandigram, BJP workers are beating them (TMC worker) here,they're demanding security. I'll request Election Commission to give them security as law & order is in their hands", said Banerjee.

I had a reasonably long experience in politics, I have seen many elections but #PuducherryElections2021 is unique because the sitting Chief Minister has not been given a ticket.So many years of loyalty, lifting the slippers of his leader, doing wrong translation to impress his leader. Still no ticket. This clearly shows how much of a disaster his govt has turned out to be: PM Modi

I had a reasonably long experience in politics, I have seen many elections but #PuducherryElections2021 is unique because the sitting Chief Minister has not been given a ticket: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Puducherry pic.twitter.com/Awp2jh6086

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2021

In long list of non-performing Congress govt over the years, previous Puducherry govt had a special place. Delhi high command govt of Puducherry failed on all fronts, take any sector - education, filling of medical seats, welfare of SC-STs, there was only loot.MLAs belonging to Congress party were openly talking about corruption, directly linked to the family of the former Chief Minister, says PM Modi at Puducherry rally.