"High voter turnout in the first phase of West Bengal elections makes it clear that BJP is going to achieve great success in each phase of polls. The trend shows that BJP will form the government with a clear majority," saysDefence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the Matua temple at Orakandi in Bangladesh was with an eye on elections in West Bengal.
The TMC supremo also alleged that Modi violated the model code of conduct through his speech at the temple, holy to the Matua community spread over India and Bangladesh. However, Modi in his speech at the temple had not made any election promises. (PTI)
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various places that went to polls on Saturday during the first phase of the West Bengal assembly election, even as the overall poll situation was largely peaceful with 79.79 per cent turnout recorded till 5 pm, an official said.
Voting was held in 30 seats - several of them part of the once-Naxal-hit Jangalmahal region -- amid tight security and strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines, the Election Commission (EC) official said. (PTI)
A clash broke out on Saturday between activists of the BJP and the TMC in Purba Medinipur's Nandigram constituency — which is set to go to polls on April 1 — leaving at least three persons seriously injured, a senior police officer here said.
Seikh Sufiyan, the election agent of TMC supremo 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 saffron 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," Sufiyan said. (PTI)