West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates: The ‘audio clip war’ in West Bengal on Saturday heated up with the TMC also releasing a purported audio clip and alleging that BJP leader Mukul Roy was talking about influencing the Election Commission, reports said. “In the audio clip, Mukul Roy tells Shishir Bajoria that they must approach the EC asking for changes in rules so that others are allowed to be booth agents and not just in localities or else BJP won’t be able to give agents in a large section of booths, TMC has alleged,” India Today reported. The Bankura, Jhargram, and Paschim Medinipur districts all recorded just above 80 percent voter turnout. Purbo Medinipur district remained in the lead, with 82.42 percent turnout. Bankura: 80.03 percent Jhargram: 80.55 percent Paschim Medinipur: 82.42 percent Purulia: 77.13 percent A huge controversy erupted on Saturday amid the polling for 30 Assembly seats in West Bengal, with the BJP releasing 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 current BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram, the seat that propelled her to power in 2011, dislodging the Left Front from power after a 34-year unbroken rule. 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. A total of 70.17 percent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly election till 4.12 pm, the official Election Commission app showed. The Jhargram district, which was in the lead on Saturday morning, was narrowly surpassed by the Purba Medinipur district, which recorded 72.32 percent voter turnout. Meanwhile, Jhargram recorded 72.10 percent so far. Sisir Adhikari, the father of TMC turncoat and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, cast his vote at a polling booth in Contai on Saturday afternoon. Sisir followed in his son’s footsteps and joined the BJP last week. “We will take the help of more Central forces at polling booths from now only ahead of second phase of elections,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India. The official handle of the Trinamool Congress tweeted that voters in the Kanthi Dakshin seat were casting their ballot for TMC but the VVPAT was showing them the BJP symbol. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged voters on Saturday to cast their ballots against “divisive forces” to strengthen democracy as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam. “Do cast your ballot against divisive forces to strengthen democracy,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. The Congress is contesting the West Bengal polls in a coalition with the Left parties and the Indian Secular Front (ISF). Elections to the 294-member state Assembly are to be held in eight phases starting Saturday, with the final round of voting scheduled to take place on April 29. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 36.09 percent turnout recorded till 11 am. The car of Soumendu Adhikari, BJP agent of south Contai candidate was vandalised in Kanthi South in West Medinipur district. The BJP is pointing fingers at TMC for the violence. Meanwhile, BJP West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya will be meeting poll officials later on Saturday to report the incidents of violence. BJP’s candidate for West Medinipur Samit Das on Saturday alleged that few TMC workers tried to influence voters at polling booth 206 and 207 during the phase 1 of West Bengal polls. A delegation of TMC MPs will meet the poll officials in Bengal on Saturday at 12 pm to ‘raise some serious concerns’, as voting for the first phase of Assembly elections is underway. Two security personnel were injured after a firing incident was reported in Satsatmal, Bhagabanpur Assembly seat on Saturday ahead of voting for West Bengal polls. Of the 30 seats in first phase of Bengal polls, the BJP is contesting on 29; one has been given to the All Jharkhand Students Union. The Trinamool will also contest on 29 seats and support an independent candidate for the other seat. According to media reports, voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunction was reported from polling booth 98 and 99. Jhargram, Medinipur, Patashpur and Ramnagar are among the big seats in Bengal in this phase, with Medinipur of particular interest because it is the home turf of Suvendu Adhikari, the TMC turncoat and former close aide of Mamata Banerjee, whose defection to the BJP triggered a furious row with his former party. Over 73 lakh voters from five districts — all of Purulia and Jhargram, and parts of Bankura, West Medinipur and East Medinipur — will vote in the around 10,200 booths of the first phase of the Bengal election. In the first phase of polling on Saturday, 23 seats of Jungle Mahal — which has an SC population of 22 percent and an ST population of 15 percent — will vote. West Bengal is all set to go for voting on Saturday (27 March) in the first phase of Assembly elections. More than 73 lakh voters in the state will decide the fate of 191 candidates across 30 Assembly segments, most of which are in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region, as the state goes to the polls in the first phase on Saturday. The elections will be held amid tight security with the Election Commission deploying around 684 companies of central forces that would guard 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials said. Besides, the state police will also be deployed at strategic locations, they added. In the first phase, polling will take place amid strict COVID-19 guidelines in all nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur — the home ground of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The TMC and BJP have fielded candidates in 29 seats each, while the Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up candidates in all 30 seats, even as there are “friendly fights” in some. With the first phase, polling will be over in two districts — Purulia and Jhargram. The Trinamool Congress is fighting in 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. Dibyajyoti Singhdeo, known to be a disgruntled TMC leader who filed the nomination as an Independent, is now backed by the party and is up against BJP’s Narahari Mahato, who is a former Forward Bloc MP. The Left Front has fielded Dhirendra Nath Mahato of Forward Bloc from the seat, while Congress fielded Phanibhushan Kumar as the two sides could not reach an agreement over the seat. The BJP is also contesting the polls in 29 seats, while its ally AJSU Party of Jharkhand fielding a candidate in Baghmundi. Congress heavyweight Nepal Mahato is the alliance candidate from the seat, even as the Forward Bloc fielded Debranjan Mahato. AJSU Party has nominated Ashutosh Mahato, while the TMC fielded Sushanta Mahato. As per the official seat-sharing arrangements of the Opposition alliance, the Left is fighting in 18 seats, Congress in 10 and ISF two. However, ‘friendly fights’ between the Left parties and Congress are on the anvil in some seats, including Baghmundi and Joypur, as negotiations could not be concluded. Among the other notable seats going to the polls in the first phase is Salboni, where the CPM has fielded former minister Susanta Ghosh against BJP’s Rajib Kundu and TMC’s Srikanta Mahata. Ghosh, the MLA of Garbeta from 1987 to 2016, was in jail in the skeleton recovery case and is at present out on bail. The TMC has fielded actor June Malia, a known face in the Bengali silver screen, from the Medinipur seat against BJP’s Samit Kumar Dash. The Left-led alliance candidate is Tarun Kumar Ghosh of the CPI. In the Ranibandh seat, former Left minister Debalina Hembram is the CPI(M) candidate, while TMC has fielded Jyotsna Mandi and BJP nominated Kshudiram Tudu. In another significant contest, Santhali actor Birbaha Hansda is fighting on a TMC ticket from Jhargram against BJP’s Sukhamay Satpathy and CPI(M)’s youth leader Madhuja Sen Roy. The seven seats in Purba Medinipur — Patashpur, Kanthi Uttar, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri, Kanthi Dakshin, Ramnagar and Egra — will also be closely watched in a fight of prestige between the influential Adhikari family and the TMC. Total 73,80,942 voters will be exercising their franchise in the first phase. Jungle Mahal is tribal-dominated and the BJP made massive inroads in the region with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, winning all five constituencies — Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Medinipur and Bishnupur. West Bengal will be voting in eight phases for 294 seats, starting on Friday. The votes will be counted on 2 May. With inputs from PTI
West Bengal election 2021 Updates: BJP's Mukul Roy discussing ways to influence EC in audio clip, claims TMC
West Bengal election 2021 LIVE Updates: The TMC also released a purported audio clip claiming that Roy was talking to another BJP leader Shishir Bajoria about ‘approaching the EC over the rules for appointing polling booth agents’ read more
 "West Bengal election 2021 Updates: BJP's Mukul Roy discussing ways to influence EC in audio clip, claims TMC")
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Polling ends for first phase in West Bengal, turnout at 79.79%
Poll ends for the first phase of #WestBengalAssemblyElection2021; visuals from a polling booth in Purulia pic.twitter.com/w6Caj5QU3h
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
BJP-TMC workers clash in Nandigram, 3 injured, says report
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 1 April — leaving at least three people seriously injured, PTI reported. 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.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
79.79% voter turnout recorded in West Bengal as of 6.05 pm
The Bankura, Jhargram, and Paschim Medinipur districts all recorded just above 80 percent voter turnout. Purbo Medinipur district remained in the lead, with 82.42 percent turnout.
Bankura: 80.03 percent
Jhargram: 80.55 percent
Paschim Medinipur: 82.42 percent
Purulia: 77.13 percent
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Voting underway in Contai
Voting underway at a polling booth in Contai in the first phase of polling for West Bengal Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/58NgxCe2rJ
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
BJP practices politics without principles, says Ashok Gehlot
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday alleged that the BJP practices “politics without principles” and was pumping huge amount of money in West Bengal to capture power in that state. He also said that Bengal will never go with such “communal and corrupt” political ideology of the BJP.
“BJP is pumping huge money in West Bengal to capture power by hook or by crook as part of politics without principles. People of West Bengal will give them befitting reply by keeping them away from power,” Gehlot tweeted.
West Bengal is voting in eight phases for 294 seats beginning on Saturday. In the first phase, 30 assembly segments will go to polls and will be almost a straight fight between the BJP and ruling TMC.
BJP is pumping huge money in West Bengal to capture power by hook or by crook as part of its politics without principles. People of West Bengal will give them befitting reply by keeping them away from power.
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
71.47% overall voter turnout recorded in West Bengal till 5.09 pm
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Mamata’s purported audio clip seeking help from BJP leader stirs row in Bengal
A huge controversy erupted on Saturday amid the polling for 30 Assembly seats in West Bengal, with the BJP releasing 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 current BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram, the seat that propelled her to power in 2011, dislodging the Left Front from power after a 34-year unbroken rule. 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.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
‘Confront BJP-hired goons with ladles,’ Mamata tells women in rallies
Alleging that the BJP was bringing in goons from outside West Bengal to stop people from exercising their franchise in Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged women to “confront the hoodlums with ladle, spatula” and other cooking utensils. Addressing two public rallies at Narayangarh and Pingla in West Midnapore district, the TMC chief dubbed TMC turncoat Suvendu Adhikari and his family as “traitors”, and claimed that one member of the household was seen distributing money among people on Friday night, hours before 30 Assembly constituencies of the state went to polls.
“Yesterday, one of the Adhikari brothers was seen distributing money… Women in the area caught him red-handed and asked the police to arrest him. They also handed over 30 goons, all hired from outside, to the police,” she said.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Bengal records 70.17% voter turnout till 4.12 pm
A total of 70.17 percent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly election till 4.12 pm, the official Election Commission app showed. The Jhargram district, which was in the lead on Saturday morning, was narrowly surpassed by the Purba Medinipur district, which recorded 72.32 percent voter turnout.
Meanwhile, Jhargram recorded 72.10 percent so far.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Mamata says will complain to EC about Modi’s Bangladesh visit
“In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls when a Bangladeshi actor attended our rally, BJP spoke to the Bangladesh government and cancelled his visa… When polls are underway here, you (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) go to Bangladesh to seek votes from one section of people, why shouldn’t your visa be cancelled? We will complain to EC,” said TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said at a rally in Kharagpur on Saturday.
The first phase of the Bengal election is being held in 30 Assembly constituencies currently.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Photos from voting underway in Jhargram district
The Jhargram district is currently in the lead in terms of voter turnout, with 72.10 percent as of 3.53 pm.
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) #WestBengalAssemblyElection2021 #ElectionCommissionofIndia #ECI #ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/9EwjaZNvBs
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh is violation of MCC, says Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a rally in Kharagpur, even as the first phase of the election is underway in 30 constituencies.
“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,” she was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Sisir Adhikari casts vote in Contai
Sisir Adhikari, the father of TMC turncoat and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, cast his vote at a polling booth in Contai on Saturday afternoon. Sisir followed in his son’s footsteps and joined the BJP last week.
“We will take the help of more Central forces at polling booths from now only ahead of second phase of elections,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
55.76% voter turnout recorded in Bengal till 3 pm
The highest voter turnout was recorded in the Bankura district (64.04 percent), followed by the Jhargram district (59.23 percent) and then the Purbo Medinipur district (57.75 percent).
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
TMC alleges voting discrepancy in Kanthi Dakshin seat
The official handle of the Trinamool Congress tweeted that voters in the Kanthi Dakshin seat were casting their ballot for TMC but the VVPAT was showing them the BJP symbol.
Shocking claim by voters which must be immediately looked into by @ECISVEEP and @CEOWestBengal.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 27, 2021
Many voters in Kanthi Dakshin assembly seat allege that they voted for TMC but VVPAT showed them the BJP symbol. THIS IS SERIOUS! THIS IS UNPARDONABLE! pic.twitter.com/E0Bjjbc89y
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
EC officials conduct thermal screening at polling stations
In West Bengal, more than 73 lakh voters are set to decide the fate of 191 candidates across 30 Assembly segments on Saturday.
The elections are being held amid tight security with the Election Commission deploying around 684 companies of central forces that would guard 10,288 polling stations housed in 7,061 premises.
Thermal checking of electors by Frontline Healthcare workers at 222- Jhargram Assembly Constituency (Polling Station No 83/222,Lalgarh Saradamani Balika Vidyalaya) on 27/03/2021 #WestBengalAssemblyElection2021 #ElectionCommissionofIndia #ECI #ECISVEEP #ECISPOKEPERSON #JhargramDM pic.twitter.com/JvONHfa6fU
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) March 27, 2021
Thermal checking & sanitizing of voter’s hands at 228- Kharagpur Assembly Constituency,Polling Station 30 (Kulda Prathamik Vidyalay),in Paschim Medinipur district on 27/03/2021 #WestBengalAssemblyElection2021 #ElectionCommissionofIndia #ECI #ECISVEEP #ECISPOKEPERSON #DM_PasMed pic.twitter.com/wxVPJiUOT7
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
TMC meets EC in Kolkata, demands local to be appointed as polling agent
As the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls got underway on Saturday, a delegation of TMC leaders met the EC in Kolkata to demand that local people should be appointed as polling agents, The Times of India reported.
“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,” said TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay.
“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,” he added.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
54.90% turnout in Bengal till 1.40 pm
West Bengal registered 54.90 percent turnout till 1.40 pm across 30 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of the state polls.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Cast vote ‘against divisive forces’ to strengthen democracy, says Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged voters on Saturday to cast their ballots against “divisive forces” to strengthen democracy as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.
“Do cast your ballot against divisive forces to strengthen democracy,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress is contesting the West Bengal polls in a coalition with the Left parties and the Indian Secular Front (ISF). Elections to the 294-member state Assembly are to be held in eight phases starting Saturday, with the final round of voting scheduled to take place on April 29.
लोकतंत्र मज़बूत करने के लिए बाँटने वाली ताक़तों के विरुद्ध अपना वोट ज़रूर डालें।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2021
जय हिंद!
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
37.55% voter turnout till 1 pm
According to the Election Commission’s data, 37.55 percent voter turnout recorded till 1 pm in the first phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Sporadic violence marks first phase of Bengal polls
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 36.09 percent turnout recorded till 11 am, officials said.
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, they said.
“Till 11 am the voter turnout is 36.09 percent. It has been by and large peaceful so far,” a senior Election
Commission official said.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Dilip Ghosh casts his vote in Jhargram
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh casts his vote at a polling booth in Jhargram in the first phase of Assembly elections.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Soumendu isn’t injured, his driver was beaten up, says TMC’s 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’ve informed Police Observer, said Dibyendu Adhikari, TMC leader and brother of Soumendu.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Car of Suvendu Adhikari’s brother, Soumendu, vandalised in West Medinipur
The car of Soumendu Adhikari, BJP agent of south Contai candidate was vandalised in Kanthi South in West Medinipur district. The BJP is pointing fingers at TMC for the violence.
According to local media reports, the driver was injured.
Meanwhile, BJP West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya will be meeting poll officials later on Saturday to report the incidents of violence.
#BreakingNews
— News18 India (@News18India) March 27, 2021
पश्चिम बंगाल के कांथि में शुवेंदु अधिकारी के भाई शोमेंदु पर हमला. गाड़ी में तोड़फोड़ की गई.#Bengal #Bankura #Midnapore #Elections #Politics #TMC #BJP #Voing #Kanthi #Soumendu Adhikari #Suvendu Adhikari @preetiraghunand pic.twitter.com/vSHv40rIgY
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
36.09% voter turnout till 12 pm
According to the Election Commission’s data, 36.09 percent voter turnout recorded till 12 pm in the first phase of polling in West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Mamata under pressure to allege ‘rigging’ claims: Dilip Ghosh
Responding to TMC’s allegation of ‘rigging’, BJP’s Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said, “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.”
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Retaining tribal bastion of ‘Jungle Mahal’ crucial for Mamata
Its been a decade since Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress dethroned the 34-year-old Left government in West Bengal. This time around a resurgent BJP, who did not have much footing in the state in 2011, is threatening to uproot her regime.
The tribal-dominated constituencies voting on Saturday are spread across five districts—Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, West Medinipur, and East Medinipur of West Bengal.
The region was once the left bastion which the TMC breached in the 2011 assembly elections and fortified in 2016 when the party bagged 26 of the 30 seats. But the BJP started to firm up its grip before the 2018 panchayat polls and finally win five of the six Lok Sabha seats in this region in 2019.
Expressing confidence with ‘Khela Hobe’ battle cry, Mamata refused to acknowledge the BJP as a challenger and termed the high-stakes battle a ‘smiley election’.
But retaining the stronghold in the hilly terrain of ‘Jangalmahal’ may prove tricky for the TMC, as the BJP also is striving hard to secure its freshly-gained sway in the region
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Bengal’s daughter will defeat ’traitor’, says Derek O’Brien on Suvendu
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, said Derek O’Brien on Saturday.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
TMC delegation to meet Bengal CEO at 12 pm today
A delegation of TMC MPs will meet West Bengal CEO on Saturday at 12 pm to raise some concerns over ‘rigging, as voting for the first phase of Assembly elections is underway.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
EC vehicle set ablaze in Purulia’s Jungle Mahal hours before phase 1
A vehicle hired for poll duty was set ablaze at Bandwan in Purulia district on Friday night, hours before the first phase of Assembly elections get underway, official sources said.
The vehicle was reportedly on its way back after dropping election officials at a polling station, when it was set on fire at Tulsidi village in the once-Maoist-affected ‘Jangalmahal’ belt of the state, they said.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was stopped by a few persons who emerged out of the forests all of a sudden and allegedly threw a petrol-soaked material on it, before fleeing. No one was injured in the incident, the sources said.
– PTI
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Voter turnout till 9. 50 am in West Bengal:
- Bankura: 18.36%
- Jhargram: 16.17%
- Paschim Medinipur: 16.75%
- Purba Medinipur: 13.70%
- Purulia: 13.97%
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Voters being influenced, stopped from voting: Suvendu Adhikari’s brother
Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader and brother of Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday told ANI that voters are being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149. He also said that EVM malfunctioning is being witnessed at some locations, adding that the Election Commission is looking into it.
Nandigram BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari had on Friday written to the Election Commission, seeking suspension of Haldia Additional SP Partha Ghosh, Haldia SDPO Barunbaidya and some other officers of Nandigram Police Station “for helping TMC members in carrying out malpractices, irregularities during polls”.
He later went there again & met people. We approached EC that there should be free & fair polls. People will choose whom they want. TMC is scared. We've given name of one Alauddin to EC, he creates disturbance there: Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader & brother of Suvendu Adhikari pic.twitter.com/jPfMcGM37Q
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Two security personnel injured in Purba Medinipur
Two security personnel were injured after a firing incident was reported in Satsatmal, Bhagabanpur Assembly seat on Saturday ahead of voting for West Bengal polls, reported ANI.
“Those associated with TMC trying to terrorise people in Argoal panchayat area, said BJP district president Anup Chakraborty.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
BJP complains to EC over TMC’s Purulia candidate ‘distributing cash’ among voters
The BJP on Friday drew the attention of the Election Commission to a video in which a Trinamool Congress candidate is seen allegedly distributing cash among the electorate.
The BJP also made complaints about TMC workers “unleashing terror” in poll-bound districts in collusion with a section of the state police.
In a letter to the poll panel, the saffron party attached links of the video, released on Friday, which showed an ex-minister and a TMC candidate from Purulia purportedly distributing cash among the voters.
“It is a blatant violation of the model code of conduct that says all parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are corrupt practices and offences under the election law,” the letter signed by senior state BJP leaders said.
PTI
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
TMC workers influencing voters in West Medinipur: BJP’s Samit Das
BJP’s candidate for West Medinipur Samit Das on Saturday alleged that few TMC workers tried to influence voters at polling booth 206 and 207 during the phase 1 of West Bengal polls, ANI reported.
“Voting underway smoothly in Midnapore town. But, at some places in rural areas, TMC workers are trying to create a disturbance. At booth no. 266 and 267, seven-eight TMC workers entered the booth to influence the voters. We’ve complained to EC,” said Das.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
BJP’s Samit Das casts vote from West Medinipur
BJP candidate from West Medinipur, Samit Das on Saturday cast his vote at a polling booth in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly election. The Trinamool has fielded actor June Malia, a known face in the Bengali silver screen, from the Medinipur seat against Das.
BJP candidate from West Midnapore, Samit Das casts his vote at a polling booth there in the first phase of #WestBengalElections2021. pic.twitter.com/u4rZxw5a5a
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2021
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Rajnath Singh urges voters to come out in large numbers
The first phase of voting for West Bengal and Assam assembly elections has started. I urge the voters of the assembly constituencies going to polls today to come out in large numbers and exercise their right to vote, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
EVM malfunction reported in Kharagpur, say reports
According to media reports, voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunction was reported from polling booth 98 and 99.
The Kharagpur constituency lies in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal. It is part of the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency. In 2016, the constituency had a total of 1,99,151 registered electors.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Key candidates in phase 1 of Bengal polls
Some of the key candidates for phase 1 of West Bengal Assembly polls are — Trinamool’s Sujoy Banerjee, BJP’s Sudip Mukherjee and the Congress’s Partha Prathim Banerjee in Purulia; Trinamool’s June Malia, BJP’s Samit Das and CPM’s Tarun Kumar Ghosh in Medinipur; Trinamool’s Dinen Ray, BJP’s Tapan Bhuiya and CPM’s Saddam Ali from Kharagpur, among others.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Modi urges voters to turn out in record numbers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to voters in West Bengal to exercise their franchise in record numbers for the first phase of the eight-phased Assembly polls.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Voting underway in Purulia for phase 1
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Medinipur, home turf of Suvendu Adhikari, among big seats in phase 1
Jhargram, Medinipur, Patashpur and Ramnagar are among the big seats in Bengal in this phase, with Medinipur of particular interest because it is the home turf of Suvendu Adhikari, the TMC turncoat and former close aide of Mamata Banerjee, whose defection to the BJP triggered a furious row with his former party.
The Trinamool has fielded Bengali actor June Malia from this seat against the BJP’s Samit Kumar Das.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Preparations underway in Purba Midnapore
We’ve 509 vulnerable booths in Purba Midnapore. We’ve deployed 169 companies. We’re monitoring booths with CAPF and non-CPF measures. Over 50% of polling booths have webcasting facility and CCTV, videographer. We’ve 800 micro-observers for phase one, said the District Election Officer, East Midnapore.
West Bengal: Preparations underway at a polling booth inEast Midnapore, ahead of voting for the first phase of #WestBengalElections2021 today.
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2021
Visuals from Prabhat Kumar College in Contai pic.twitter.com/6af0penX1d
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
More than 73 lakh voters to exercise franchise today
Over 73 lakh voters from five districts — all of Purulia and Jhargram, and parts of Bankura, West Medinipur and East Medinipur — will vote in the around 10,200 booths of the first phase of the Bengal election.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Of 30 seats in phase one, 23 are from Jungle Mahal
In the first phase of polling in West Bengal on Saturday, 23 seats of Jungle Mahal — which has an SC population of 22 percent and an ST population of 15 percent — will vote.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
TMC, BJP fielded candidates in 29 seats each
For the phase 1, the TMC and BJP have fielded candidates in 29 seats each, while the Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up candidates in all 30 seats, even as there are “friendly fights in some.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
30 Assembly seats going to polls spread across tribal-dominated region
Most of these 30 seats are spread across tribal-dominated Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Purba Medinipur (Part 1) and Paschim Medinipur (Part 1) districts. Bengal has a total of 294 assembly seats.
26 of the 30 constituencies where voting will be held today had voted for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the last assembly elections. But the BJP swept them in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
West Bengal election 2021 LATEST updates
Bengal polls start with voting in 30 seats today
Voting for the high-decibel election to the West Bengal legislative Assembly starts on Saturday and will continue in seven more phases till 29 April. People will vote for their choice among 191 candidates in 30 constituencies in this phase.
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 "After 4 failed attempts, talks between WB govt, junior doctors begin at Mamata Banerjee's house")
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