News Analysis India

Tag: Bengal elections

  • COVID is Mamata’s new weapon against BJP as the Bengal reports nearly 7000 new cases

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  The TMC has found a new weapon to attack BJP. It’s the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the saffron party of bringing in outsiders for election work, which she claims, has caused a surge in numbers.

    Addressing a rally at Nabadwip in Nadia on Friday, Mamata said: “Do not spread coronavirus in Bengal Narendra Modiji. I am repeatedly saying this. You can visit Bengal and address rallies. But your party is bringing in people from Gujarat and Rajasthan for erecting stages and doing other works for BJP rallies. These outsiders are spreading Covid in Bengal,” she lashed out.

    Mamata Banerjee at a public meetingin North 24 Parganas districtClaiming that the pandemic scenario in Bengal was under control, the CM continued lambasting the BJP. “We kept cases under control. But since the outsiders started stepping in, cases are rising alarmingly.’’

    Without naming BJP’s heavyweights visiting Bengal, Mamata said: “The situation was alright for five-six months. Modiji could have saved all by giving vaccines. But he did not do that. Now they are bringing thousands of people in Bengal who are going back after spreading the virus.”

    Mamata requested the Election Commission to make Covid-19 tests mandatory for outsiders.

    UP CM Yogi Adityanath, who visited the state on several occasions and addressed rallies, tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

    Bengal recorded its highest single-day spike of 6,769 cases in the last 24 hours.

    Mamata used the ‘outsider’ jibe on several occasions in the past while attacking BJP. She labelled the saffron camp a party of outsiders who do not understand Bengal’s culture. As the state is witnessing a fierce electoral battle, she has given a new twist to the narrative by adding the Covid-19 angle.

    Referring to her promise to give free Covid vaccines, Mamata accused the Centre of doing politics.

    “I wanted free vaccination for all. But the Centre is not giving us adequate doses. BJP is doing politics over this which is shameful,” she said.

    Local labourers and decorators can be engaged for the purpose after necessary COVID-19 tests, Banerjee said.

    At another meeting at Jagatdal, the TMC supremo said that COVID test of those coming from outside, the decorators and workers should be made mandatory.

    She claimed that the Covid situation in states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat was far worse than Bengal.

    “In UP they (the BJP government of that state) have built walls around cremation sites to secretly burn bodies. The situation in Gujarat is alarming. A Bengali lady professor died there of coronavirus due to lack of treatment.”

    She also alleged that untrained non-medical persons were administering “so-called vaccines from BJP party offices in Gujarat”.

    Blaming the BJP of trying to stop her from canvassing by “targeting her leg”, Banerjee said she has been able to overcome the situation with the blessings of the people.

    “The injury has healed 75 per cent,” she said.

    Hitting out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the TMC supremo said he is repeatedly telling in meetings that Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja are not allowed in West Bengal.

    “This is nothing but a bunch of lies”.

    “And what kind of lies! We don’t allow Durga puja, Kali puja, Saraswati puja, Chhat Puja in Bengal? What does he know about our pujas, our culture? Do we sit at home wearing new clothes on Durga puja days and don’t go to pandals to offer pushpanjali? “Don’t we hold Lakshmi puja and Saraswati puja at almost every home? Don’t we celebrate Chhat puja? Despite being ignorant about Bengal, Amit Shah is repeatedly saying the same thing at every meeting! Will he quit politics if he is proved wrong?,” Banerjee asked.

    BJP is following the ‘Goebbels theory’ to establish a falsehood by repeating it every day.

    “But people of the state know the real situation,” she asserted.

    She accused BJP of plotting to delete names of bonafide citizens, who had settled in the country decades ago.

    “Those who came to the country till March 1971 are citizens. Why will they have to prove their citizenship? Those refugees who have been given land deeds for settling on private or government lands are citizens and cannot be sent to detention camps by BJP.

    “Cast your vote and ensure that they (BJP) are not elected and cannot delete your names in any National Population Register exercise,” she said.

    Addressing the Matua community, whose members form a significant chunk of the electorate in the border areas of North 24 Parganas district, she said “Only Trinamool Congress had been on your side for three decades. We had conferred the Bangabibhusan award to Baroma (Binapani Devi, the matriarch of the community), we had supervised all her treatment. Where were those who have suddenly surfaced at Thakurnagar now? “From building higher educational institutions to rail stations and development of the Matua community headquarters at Thakurnagar, from constituting a board to improve the condition of Namasudras our (TMC) government took up many measures to improve your (Matua community’s) condition. BJP only makes empty promises”.

    At another meeting at Noapara, Banerjee claimed that her car had been chased by saffron party workers at Bhatpara, an area which is the stronghold of its leader Arjun Singh, in 2019 and that TMC office had been forcibly painted saffron so that BJP could lay claim to them.

    “I stood against that terror and we have to resist BJP terror this time,” she added.

    The COVID-19 tally in West Bengal mounted to 6,43,795 on Friday after the highest single-day spike of 6,910 new cases were reported in the state, the health department said.

    On Friday the Revolutionary Socialist Party candidate for Jangipur assembly constituency, Pradip Kumar Nandi who tested positive for COVID-19 died in a Berhampore hospital, health department officials confirmed.

    The toll rose to 10,506 with 26 deaths registered in the state in the last 24 hours, it said in a bulletin.

    The city accounted for the highest single-day jump of 1,844 new cases and nine deaths, the bulletin said.

    Of the rest 17, seven deaths were reported in North 24 Parganas, three each in Howrah and Malda, two in Murshidabad and one death each in Purba Medinipur and Nadia districts, it said.

    Sixteen out of the 26 deaths were due to comorbidities where COVID-19 was incidental.

    North 24 Parganas district accounted for 1,592 new cases, while Howrah reported 420 cases, the bulletin said.

    At least 2,818 recoveries were reported in the state and the discharge rate continued to slip and was 91.99 per cent.

    Till Friday, 5,92,242 people have recovered from the disease in the state.

    Since Thursday 40,153 samples have been tested in West Bengal taking the total number of such clinical examinations to 97,15,115, the bulletin said.

    Nandi’s death took the number of candidates who died due to the disease to two, they said.

    Nandi (73), who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, was in home isolation and was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night after his condition deteriorated, the official said.

    Nandi had certain comorbidities and he passed away at around 6PM, he added.

    On Thursday Congress candidate for Samsherganj constituency in Murshidabad district, Rezaul Haque, who too had tested positive for COVID19, passed away at a city hospital.

    Following Nandi’s death, the Election Commission declared polling at Jangipur assembly constituency void, an official said.

    Meanwhile, owing to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, hospitals in the city have decided to postpone planned surgeries for at least next two weeks, an official of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCREC) said.

    The decision was taken at a meeting held between WBCREC and private hospitals on Friday.

    WBCREC chairman Justice (retired) Ashim Kumar Banerjee said that requests to increase COVID-19 hospitals by at least 30 per cent was made to the authorities of the medical establishments.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Bengal polls: Long schedule, lack of fresh issues force parties to rekindle NRC debate

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: In the seemingly endless election campaign trail in West Bengal, issues often keep resurfacing. It’s understandable. When the election battle is held over eight phases and four weeks, it becomes difficult for political parties to discover new issues on a daily basis. 

    As a result, things keep circling in a loop. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is one such point.

    Time and again, Trinamool Congress and BJP have traded barbs over this. Ahead of the fifth phase of polling on Saturday, it was no different as Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee engaged in a war of words over NRC.

    At a rally in Nabadwip, the birthplace of Sree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Mamata said if BJP wrests power in the state, it will send refugees to detention camps and cited the example of Assam.

    In response, Shah accused her of depriving refugees of citizenship by opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). He was addressing a rally in Tehatta, which is in the same district.

    “Do not trust them. In Assam, the BJP-led government has started serving notices to refugees, who were left out of the final list of NRC, asking them to explain why they should not be evicted. The Assam government is also serving notices to send refugees to detention camps. If they come to power in Bengal, they will follow the similar route and send refugees to detention camps,” said Mamata, reiterating that she would allow neither NRC nor  CAA in Bengal if she wins this electoral battle.

    Shah, who had earlier said in north Bengal that there are no plans of implementing NRC right now, said Mamata was misleading the refugees. 

    “CAA is aimed to give citizenship to refugees who had to migrate from Bangladesh because of religious persecution. Mamata didi is opposing it. She is against refugees’ citizenship. She is depriving them of their rights,” Shah told the gathering in Tehatta, which has a sizable population of Hindu refugees.

    Amit Malviya, BJP’s IT Cell head and co-observer for Bengal, accused Mamata of spreading fear over the issue of NRC despite the Union Home Minister’s announcement that there is no plan to implement it. 

    He also claimed by releasing an audio tape that Mamata has been instructing her party candidates to spread fear over the contentious issue.

    “In the audio tape, she is heard telling her candidate at Sitalkuchi, where four persons were killed in Central paramilitary firing, to spread fear over NRC. She also directed him to lodge an FIR in connection with the firing instead of allowing the families of the deceased to lodge a formal complaint. She is also heard telling the candidate to engage professional lawyers to lodge the complaint. This is evidence showing that the chief minister is doing politics over dead bodies,” alleged Malviya.

  • EC issue notice to Trinamool leader Sujata Mondal Khan over comments on scheduled castes

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Friday issued a notice to Trinamool Congress leader Sujata Mondal Khan for her alleged comments on scheduled castes and gave her 24 hours to make her stand clear.

    The notice said that she should also explain why her status as ‘star campaigner’ should not be withdrawn.

    The BJP had moved the poll panel with a complaint against Khan, it said.

    According to a portion of her remarks reproduced in the notice, the TMC leader had reportedly said that “as there is a scarcity of resources in the schedule caste families, no matter how much, Mamata Bandyopadhyay has helped them, the scarcity will not go”.

    “As there a is a saying, some are actually beggars and others are beggars by nature. the schedule castes here are beggars by nature, and in spite of Mamata Bandyopadhyay (CM Mamata Banerjee) helping them so much, still they have been sold to BJP at a petty amount and are now torturing us,” according to Khan’s remarks reproduced in the notice The notice said the poll panel has found her remarks violative of the model code and provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

  • Bengal polls: Coronavirus-positive RSP candidate Pradip Kumar Nandi dies

    By PTI
    BERHAMPORE: Revolutionary Socialist Party candidate Pradip Kumar Nandi, who tested positive for COVID-19 four days ago, died at a hospital here on Friday, a health department official said.

    Nandi, 73, the party’s nominee from the Jangipur assembly constituency in Murshidabad district in the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections, was in home isolation and taken to the Berhampore hospital on Thursday night after his condition deteriorated, he said.

    He had comorbidities and died around 6 pm at the medical facility, the official said.

    Congress candidate from Samsherganj assembly segment Rezaul Haque, who had tested positive for COVID-19, also died at a hospital in Kolkata on Thursday.

  • Mamata’s purported conversation with Trinamool nominee after Sitalkuchi firing stirs row

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: A controversy erupted on Friday after the BJP released a purported audio clip in which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is heard telling the Trinamool Congress nominee of Sitalkuchi to hold rallies with bodies of the four persons killed in CISF firing during polling on April 10.

    Claiming that such a conversation never took place, the TMC described the audio clip as “bogus” and wondered whether the Centre is tapping a chief ministers phone.

    PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip which was released on the eve of the fifth phase of the polls.

    Releasing excerpts of the telephonic conversation between Banerjee and Partha Pratim Ray, the TMC candidate of the Sitalkuchi seat, the BJP’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that the “chief minister is trying to instigate riots by asking her party leaders to take out rallies with bodies”.

    “She is heard asking her party candidate to frame the case in such a way that both the superintendent of police (of Cooch Behar) and other central forces personnel can be framed. Is this expected from a chief minister? She is trying to instil a sense of fear just for minority votes,” he said.

    BJP president JP Nadda alleged that the ruling party of the state signifies the culture of vultures.

    “TMC signifies VULTURE CULTURE- of feasting on death for petty political gains. TMC should be ashamed of themselves,” Nadda said in a tweet.

    Four persons were killed as central forces opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, near a booth in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district during the fourth phase of polling.

    According to BJP sources, the saffron party has decided to move the Election Commission over the audio clip.

    In the purported audio clip, Banerjee is heard instructing Ray to keep his cool till the polling is over.

    “Don’t panic. You should make arrangements for conducting a rally with the bodies the next day. And also consult a lawyer and file a police complaint so that neither the SP nor IC can escape,” she is heard saying.

    The TMC’s Sitalkuchi candidate termed the audio clip as “bogus”.

    “Such a conversation never took place. This audio clip is totally bogus. The BJP is just trying to confuse the people before the fifth phase of polling,” he said.

    TMC spokesperson Derek O’ Brien and his Rajya Sabha colleague Sukendu Sekhar Roy asked the BJP not to play mind games with the people of the state.

    “Did the Centre tap the private phone conversations of a sitting CM? We condemn this blatant breach of privacy and illegitimate usage of state machinery for petty political agenda,” Roy said at a late-night press conference.

    “We will trounce BJP in this election. Don’t play mind games with the people of Bengal!” O’Brien said.

    Earlier, Banerjee has described the firing as genocide by central forces and termed it as a conspiracy by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

    Out of the eight-phase assembly elections in the state, four phases have been completed and the remaining four are scheduled to be held between April 17 and 29.

  • EC bans rallies from 7pm to 10am in Bengal as COVID-19 wrecks havoc

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  In the all-party meeting called by the Election Commission on Friday, there were no takers for the TMC’s suggestion to club the remaining phases of the polls.

    However, keeping in view the serious Covid situation, the EC asked parties to religiously follow protocols. The poll panel warned them of criminal action in case of violation of Covid guidelines. 

    “Candidates and political parties shall ensure absolute, repeat absolute, adherence to Covid guidelines…” the poll panel said in its order. It asked star campaigners to tell their audience to wear masks in the beginning of the event itself and directed political parties to provide masks and sanitisers to all those who come to attend rallies. 

    The EC cut short the time for rallies and public meetings by banning them from 7 pm to 10 am.

    It also extended the silence period from 48 hours to 72 hours for the remaining three phases scheduled to be held on April 22, 26 and 29. Bengal reported 6,747 new cases in the past 24 hours. 

    “No rallies, public meetings, street plays, nukkad sabhas, shall be allowed on any day during the days of campaign between 7 pm and 10 am with effect from 7 pm of April 16,” the order said.

    It also extended the silence period from 48 hours to 72 hours in each of the remaining three of the eight phases of the West Bengal polls to be held on April 22, 26 and 29.

    The fifth phase is on Saturday.

    During the silence period, which is usually for 48 hours before voting day, parties and candidates cannot hold rallies and meetings.

    “Silence period for rallies, public meetings, street plays, nukkad sabhas, bike rallies or any gathering for campaigning purposes shall be extended to 72 hours before the end of the poll for Phase 6, Phase 7 and Phase 8 in the state of West Bengal,” the Election Commission order said.

    “Thereby, for these phases, campaign shall end at 6.30 PM on April 19; on April 23; and on April 26 respectively,” it said.

    The poll panel observed that it has noted several instances of election meetings and campaigns “wherein norms of social distancing, wearing of masks have been flouted in blatant” in disregard of the commission’s guidelines.

    The COVID-19 tally in West Bengal mounted to 6,43,795 on Friday after the highest- single-day spike of 6,910 new cases was reported in the state, the health department said in a bulletin.

    The commission said it has also taken a serious view against repeated violations by star campaigners, political leaders and candidates “who are supposed to be torchbearers for the campaign against COVID-19”, grossly violating the health protocols, exposing themselves as well as the public to the danger of the infection.

    The decision came on a day when the state chief electoral officer held an all-party meet in Kolkata where he stressed adherence of COVID guidelines issued by the poll panel.

    The Trinamool Congress (TMC) said the remaining three phases should be clubbed into one to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

    The EC order curtailing campaigning indicates that the demand to club the remaining phases has been turned down.

    A total of 114 seats are scheduled to go for polls in the last three phases.

    At least five candidates of different parties contesting the ongoing assembly election in Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19.

    Out of them, three are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and one each from Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and BJP, a West Bengal health department official said.

    In a separate letter to head of recognised political parties, the EC said candidates and political parties will ensure “absolute” adherence to COVID-19 guidelines in letter and sprit.

    “Violations, if any shall be sternly dealt with and action, including criminal action, taken as per extant legal framework,” it said.

    The EC said it will be the responsibility of the organisers of public meetings, rallies, to provide masks and sanitisers to every person attending these events at their cost “which shall be added and counted within limits of prescribed expenditure.”

    The letter said star campaigners, political leaders, candidates and aspiring policymakers will demonstrate by their personal example and nudge all supporters in the beginning of the rally, meeting and any other event during the campaign to wear a mask, use sanitisers and maintain social distance.

    District election officers and returning officers will be free to cancel public meetings and rallies if any violations are observed.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • ‘Outsiders spreading coronavirus’: Now Mamata makes Covid spike in Bengal a poll plank

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  Spike in Covid cases in Bengal has become the ruling Trinamool Congress’s poll plank.

    Hitting out at the BJP and the Prime Minister, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a rally at Nabadwip in Nadia on Friday, accused the saffron camp of bringing ‘outsiders’ from Gujarat and Rajasthan and spreading Covid in the state. 

    “Do not spread coronavirus in Bengal, Narendra Modiji. I am repeatedly saying this. Modi can visit Bengal and address rallies. But his party is bringing outsiders — people from Gujarat and Rajasthan — for erecting stage and pandals for BJP’s rallies. These outsiders are spreading Covid in Bengal,” she said.

    The pandemic scenario in Bengal was completely under control, Banerjee said. “We kept the Covid positive cases completely under control. But since the ‘outsiders’ are coming to Bengal, the count of positive cases is rising alarmingly.”

    ALSO READ |  West Bengal polls: EC bans rallies, public meetings from 7 pm-10 am due to rise in COVID cases

    Without naming BJP’s heavyweights visiting Bengal, Mamata said, “The situation was completely under control for the past five-six months. Narendra Modi could have saved all by giving vaccines. But he did not do that. Now they are bringing thousands of people to Bengal who are fleeing after spreading Covid.”

    Mamata requested the Election Commission to make the Covid test for ‘outsiders’ mandatory. If the test report is positive, they should not be allowed in the state.

    Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who visited the state on several occasions and addressed rallies, tested positive for Covid on Thursday.   

    Bengal recorded its highest single-day spike of 6,769 fresh cases and 22 deaths in the past 24 hours.

    Referring to her promise of free Covid vaccine to all, Mamata accused the Centre of doing politics over it. “I wanted to give all in West Bengal Covid vaccine free of cost. But the Centre is not giving us adequate vaccines. The BJP is doing politics over it which is shameful,” she said.  

  • TMC seeks clubbing of last three phases of Bengal polls to arrest COVID surge, BJP against idea

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Ruling Trinamool Congress Friday sought clubbing of the last three phases of assembly elections after the fifth round on Saturday considering alarming COVID situation in West Bengal.

    After Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on the previous day mooted the idea of conducting polls for the remaining phases at one go, TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee sought clubbing of the last three rounds of voting into one at a meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ariz Aftab here.

    Emerging from an all-party meeting called by the CEO, Chatterjee said that in order to save the lives of people and to control COVID-19 infections while allowing candidates ample time for campaigning, a balance has to be drawn by the Election Commission.

    “We have told the commission that in order to give the people proper healthcare facilities amid COVID situation, the last three phases may be clubbed into one while ensuring that the democratic rights of the people are upheld,” Chatterjee told reporters.

    ALSO READ | BJP responsible for COVID surge in Bengal, will urge EC to prevent entry of outsiders during campaigning: Mamata

    He said that all stakeholders, including the candidates, political parties and the general public, have a role to play in controlling the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Meanwhile, the BJP expressed objection against such clubbing at the meet on the pretext that it would be disadvantageous for voters and candidates of the seats that are yet to go to polls.

    BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, who represented the party in the meeting, said the party does not want any step that would affect the “democratic spirit”.

    “We said that our party will abide by all COVID-19 protocols put in place by the Election Commission, and urged that no steps be taken that discriminates those voting in the next phases from those who have already exercised their franchise.

    “We have not said anything about clubbing (of phases), We feel that the elections will be held in eight phases,” Dasgupta told reporters after the meeting.

    ALSO READ | Mamata reluctant to grant citizenship to Matuas, Namsudras; Rahul a ‘tourist politician’: Amit Shah

    Dasgupta said that virtual election meetings for the remaining phases are not possible as half of the eight phases have already been held.

    “A level playing field has to be maintained. We have advised the Election Commission to balance the need for a robust democratic culture with safety norms.

    “It is up to the Election Commission to tell us what exactly the political parties must do. We have assured the EC that under all circumstances, once it has laid down the procedures, the BJP will adhere to the norms faithfully.

    He said that the saffron party will provide masks to its supporters and workers at public meetings to ensure that health protocols are maintained.

    The Election Commission had Thursday dismissed the chance of holding the last three phases of assembly polls in West Bengal together, saying “(There is) no such plan of clubbing phases.”

    Asked about the rising number of infections and deaths due to COVID-19 in the state along with the rest of the country, he said that campaigning cannot be stopped, and also wondered how the rights of the contestants and the voters can be taken away.

    Assembly polls have been held for 135 constituencies in the state in four phases so far and the remaining 159 seats are slated to go to the polls in four phases between April 17 and 29.

    Counting is scheduled for May 2.

  • BJP responsible for COVID surge in Bengal, will urge EC to prevent entry of outsiders during campaigning: Mamata

    By Agencies
    NABADWIP: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday she will call upon the Election Commission to stop the BJP from bringing “outsiders” during campaigning, squarely blaming the saffron party for exacerbating the COVID-19 situation in the state.

    Banerjee, during a public meeting here in Nadia district, said the BJP brought people from “worst-hit” states like Gujarat for erecting marquees for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s poll rallies.

    ALSO READ | Mamata reluctant to grant citizenship to Matuas, Namsudras; Rahul a ‘tourist politician’: Amit Shah

    “For 5 months there was no COVID19, now they (BJP) have brought people from outside & no one is being tested. Whoever comes from outside should be tested…. People from outside are coming & spreading COVID19. When our people will die, they will blame us,” Banerjee told ANI at a rally in Noapara.

    “I will tell the EC to stop the inflow of outsiders from states like Gujarat who are responsible for the COVID-19 spread in Bengal.

    “We have nothing to say if the PM or other leaders come for campaigning. Why should the BJP bring people from worst-affected states to set up podiums and pandals for rallies,” she said.

    The Trinamool Congress boss said local labourers and decorators can be engaged for the purpose after necessary COVID-19 tests.

    Referring to her injury, the chief minister said the BJP wanted to stop her from canvassing by “targeting her leg”, but she has managed to come out triumphant.

    “They had targeted my leg, but I proved them wrong with the blessings of people. The injury has healed 75 per cent,” she said.

    Banerjee, who suffered injuries on her leg during campaigning in Nandigram on March 10, has since been seen seated on a wheelchair in rallies and roadshows.

    She said the COVID-19 surge in West Bengal could have been under check had Modi ensured vaccination for every citizen of the state.

    “The virus had become weak in the last five-six months. But, the PM did not take steps to vaccinate every citizen. He did not even respond to my suggestion for free vaccination for people of the state for political reasons.

    “On our part, we have already started free inoculation at some camps in Kolkata and other areas,” Banerjee said West Bengal on Thursday recorded the highest single- day spike of 6,769 coronavirus cases and at least 22 more fatalities.

    Urging all eligible voters to exercise their franchise on Saturday, the fifth phase of assembly elections, she alleged, “If you don’t, citing some excuses, the BJP will try to delete your name from the voter list.”

    The TMC chief also slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for the hike in LPG cyclinder prices.

    “If they have their way, BJP will take it to Rs 5,000 per cyclinder. Tell them we don’t want cash for votes, we want cooking gas for free,” she said, accusing the saffron party of distributing money among people for votes.

    Speaking about the temple town Nabadwip, Banerjee said her government has spent Rs 300 crore for the heritage spot.

    “There are two heritage towns in the state – Nabadwip and Cooch Behar. What we have done for these places, no other government had done so during their tenure,” she asserted.

    Banerjee added that a world heritage centre was also coming up in Mayapur.

    “Nabadwip and Cooch Behar will be a pilgrimage hub when the planned projects are completed, attracting lakhs of tourists and providing more employment opportunities,” the CM said.

    (With ANI and PTI inputs)

  • Bengal polls: Three TMC, one BJP candidate among five to test COVID positive ahead of fifth phase

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: At least five candidates of different parties contesting the ongoing assembly election in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, a health department official said on Friday.

    Out of the five candidates who tested positive, three are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and one each from the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said.

    RSP’s Jangipur candidate, 73-year-old Pradip Kumar Nandi, tested positive on Wednesday and is now in home isolation, the official said.

    BJP’s candidate for Matigara-Naxalbari seat Anandamay Barman (38), TMC’s Goalpokhar nominee Mohmmed Ghulam Rabbani, Tapan candidate Kalpana Kisku, and Jalpaiguri candidate Dr. Pradip Kumar Barma have tested COVID-19 positive, the health official said.

    According to an official at the CEO, “The candidates who tested positive must immediately stop campaigning.

    Either they should isolate themselves at their homes or get themselves hospitalised depending on severity of the infection,” he said.

    Congress nominee from Samsherganj assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, Rezaul Haque, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died at a hospital here early on Thursday.