2021 West Bengal Assembly Election Phase 1 Voting News: Nearly 80 per cent voter turnout recorded till 6 pm in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections. Voting for 30 of 294 assembly constituencies is still underway in phase one of West Bengal Assembly Election.
Ahead of voting, two security personnel were injured in a firing incident at Satsatmal in Bhagwanpur assembly constituency of East Midnapore. BJP District President Anup Chakraborty said that those associated with TMC were trying to terrorise people in Argoal panchayat area.
TMC leader Derek O’Brien said that the TMC will win Bengal. “Bengal’s daughter will defeat Bengal’s traitor in his own backyard at Nandigram, members of tourist gang will continue to do what they do best – try and destroy institutions in India. Women in Bengal will continue to wear sarees any way they want,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda urged people to vote in large numbers. “Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers,” said PM Modi.
West Bengal Election 2021: The BJP today released an audio clip where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is purportedly heard cajoling a BJP leader from Nandigram to rejoin the TMC and help her win the seat. Banerjee is pitted against her former protege and now the BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram, the spring board that propelled her to power in 2011.
A BJP delegation, led by party general secretary and Bengal minder Kailash Vijayvargiya, met the state's chief electoral officer and handed over the tape, claiming Banerjee was using her official position to influence the outcome of the bitterly contested assembly poll.
The ruling TMC questioned the genuineness of the audio tape, but asserted that since Pralay Pal was a former TMC leader who switched over to the BJP, there was nothing wrong with Banerjee trying to woo him back. Pal, who pledged his allegiance to the Adhikari family, whose two members are still TMC Lok Sabha members, claimed Banerjee personally called him up and asked him to help her win the Nandigram seat.
'You should help us win Nandigram. Look, I know you have some grievances, but that's due mostly to the Adhikaris who never allowed me to get into Nandigram or East Midnapore. I will take care of everything henceforth,' Banerjee purportedly told Pal, a BJP official in East Midnapore, the district where the Adhikari family holds sway.
Pal, however, was not game. 'Didi, you called me and I am honoured. But I can't betray the Adhikaris as they have stood by me through thick and thin,' he was heard saying in the audio clip. He later told TV news channels that Banerjee called him up and requested him to return to the TMC, a proposal he declined. 'I am now working for the BJP and can't betray them,' said Pal. (PTI)
West Bengal Phase-I Polling: 79.79 per cent voter turnout recorded till 6 pm in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal Election Phase-I Polling: 77.99 per cent voter turnout recorded till 5 pm in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal Phase-I polling: Voting underway at a polling booth in Contai in the first phase of polling for West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal Phase-I Polling: 70.17% voter turnout recorded till 4 pm in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal Elections 2021: Sometimes they say Mamata has brought people from Bangladesh and did infiltration. But he (PM) himself goes to Bangladesh for vote marketing, says Mamata Banerjee.
Mamata Banerjee: 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 EC. 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.
West Bengal Election Phase-I: BJP delegation today met EC following attack on BJP leader and Suvendu Adhikari's brother, Soumendu Adhikari. BJP General Secretary says this is first election in 6 years with fewer instances of rigging and violence. "To avoid even 10% of such cases in second phase, we demanded EC round-up anti-social elements," Kailash Vijayvargiya said.
Over 56 per cent voter turnout is recorded till 3 pm. Highest turnout of 64.04 per cent is recorded in Bankura while the lowest in Purulia at 53.41 per cent. Voter turnout in Purbo Medinipur is recorded at 57.75 per cent, Jhargram at 59.23 per cent and Purbo Medinipur at 60.15 per cent.
West Bengal Election Phase-I Polling: We will take the help of more Central forces at polling booths from now only ahead of second phase of elections, says Sisir Adhikari, father of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
West Bengal Election Phase-I Polling: The BJP today released a audio tape, claiming Mamata Banerjee called its leader for support in Nandigram.
West Bengal Election 2021: A man, in his mid-30s, was found dead in Keshiary's Begumpur area in the Paschim Medinipur district in the morning. He has been identified as Mangal Soren, his body was found outside his home. The BJP claimed that Soren was their supporter and was allegedly killed by TMC "goons", a charge rubbished by the ruling party. However, the district administration in its report to the EC said that there was no connection of the death to the polls.
Voters in several areas, including Bhagabanpur in Egra and Midnapore, complained of intimidation to the central forces who assured them of security and took them to the polling booth. Besides, there were allegations against both BJP and TMC of trying to influence voters by providing them food packets, tea and snacks. So far, 107 EVMs have been found to be non-functional. (PTI)
West Bengal Election Phase-I: Sisir Adhikari, father of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, cast his vote at a polling booth in Contai.
West Bengal Election Phase-I Polling: Sporadic incidents of violence have been reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal. Elections are being held in 30 seats, most of which are in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region, across five districts amid tight security. In the Kanthi Dakshin seat in Purba Medinipur, voters staged a protest outside a polling booth over EVM malfunctioning. The protesters blocked a road outside the polling station at Majna, claiming that even if they voted for one party, the VVPAT slip showed another party. A contingent of central forces was deployed to control the situation, an EC official said, adding that the VVPAT machine was replaced.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's younger brother Soumendu was attacked in Kanthi by TMC supporters, his party alleged. His car was vandalised and his was driver injured in the attack.
In the Salboni seat of Paschim Medinipur, CPI(M) candidate Susanta Ghosh was heckled and stones were hurled at his car allegedly by TMC supporters. As soon as he reached Salboni Bazar, some TMC supporters gheraoed and heckled him, following which they also attacked his car, eyewitnesses said. Police personnel posted in the area rescued and escorted him to safety. 'This is an attack on democracy. This is jungle raj going on,' said Ghosh, a former minister in the Left Front government. Some journalists who were reporting on the attack were also manhandled and their vehicles vandalised. An EC official said that three persons were arrested in connection with the incident and a report has been sought from the district administration. (PTI)
West Bengal Election Phase-I Polling: Nearly 50 per cent (approximiate) voter turnout has been recorded till 1 PM. Highest turnout of 59.23 per cent is recorded in Jhargram followed by Purbo Medinipur (57.75 per cent), Bankura (57.40 per cent), Pachim Medinipur (52.60 per cent) and Purulia (51.42 per cent).
A delegation of TMC leaders met Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata. Sudip Bandyopadhyay says, "BJP had submitted a memorandum requesting to change the system of appointing booth agents wherein he must be a voter of the concerned booth&allow anybody at any booth. 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. CEO has assured us to look into the matter."
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful.
40.73% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm, in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections
Voter's queue up in front of Polling Station of 237- Binpur Assembly Constituency of Jhargram District, West Bengal. Polling Station No 61 (Belphari Girls' High School)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the Matua community in Orakandi in Bangladesh. "I was waiting for this opportunity for many years. During my 2015 visit to Bangladesh, I expressed my wish to visit Orakandi, and today that wish has come true," says PM. Matua community plays a crucial role in Bengal elections. Click here to know more
West Bengal Phase-I Polling: Nearly 36 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 12:45 pm. Highest turnout of 38.81 per cent was recorded in Purbo Medinipur while the lowest was in Purulia at 33.65 per cent.
West Bengal Polling LIVE: "Under the leadership of TMC block president Ram Govind Das and his wife poll rigging was underway at three polling booths. My arrival here created problem for them to continue with their mischiefs so they attacked my car and thrashed my driver, claims BJP leader Soumendu Adhikari.
Dibyendu Adhikari: I got to know that vehicle (of Soumendu Adhikari) was attacked in Contai with help of TMC block president Ram Govind Das. Soumendu isn't injured. Driver was beaten up. I have informed Police Observer.
West Bengal Assembly Election Phase-I: State BJP President Dilip Ghosh casts his vote at a polling booth in Jhargram in the first phase of state assembly elections.
BJP West Bengal President Dilip Ghosh on TMC alleging rigging of polls: TMC knows that it is losing and that's why it is saying all this. For such complaints, TMC should go to the Election Commission. TMC and Mamata Banerjee are under pressure and that is why they are saying such things.
Derek O'Brien writes to Election Commission: "Voter turnout for ACs Kanthi Dakshin (216) and Kanthi Uttar (213) at 9:13 am was 18.47% and 18.95% respectively, 4 mins later at 9:17 am voter turnout reduced to 10.60% and 9:40%. Such discrepancy raises question on genuineness of data issued by EC.
West Benhgal Election 2021 LIVE: 24.61% voter turnout recorded till 11 am in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Benhgal Election 2021 LIVE: 24.61% voter turnout recorded till 11 am in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal Election 2021: The Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya to meet CEO West Bengal at 2PM.
West Bengal Election Polling LIVE: The Trinamool Congress is contesting 29 of the 30 seats, while supporting an Independent in the Joypur assembly segment in Purulia as the nomination of its official candidate Ujjwal Kumar was rejected by the EC due to a discrepancy. The BJP is also contesting 29 seats and backing ally AJSU Party of Jharkhand in Baghmundi. The Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up candidates in all 30 seats, even as there are "friendly fights" in some. Of these 30 seats, 27 were won by the TMC in the 2016 assembly elections, the Congress bagged two and RSP one. (PTI)
West Bengal Phase-I Polling: The elections are being held amid tight security with the Election Commission deploying around 730 companies of central forces, guarding 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises. Each company of the central forces consists of 100 personnel.
Derek O'Brien: The TMC will win Bengal. Bengal's daughter will defeat Bengal's traitor in his own backyard at Nandigram, members of tourist gang will continue to do what they do best - try and destroy institutions in India. Women in Bengal will continue to wear sarees any way they want.
West Bengal Election Phase-I Voting 2021: 7.72% voter turnout recorded till 9 am in the first phase of polling in est Bengal Assembly elections.