News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal Assembly Elections

  • Bengal Congress defeated in polls but hasn’t fled battlefield: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury 

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday said that the grand old party might have been defeated in the West Bengal assembly elections but hasn’t fled the battlefield or been vanquished.

    Chowdhury, the state Congress chief, was addressing a gathering in Kolkata on the foundation day of the party’s student wing Chhatra Parishad.

    “There might be victory or loss in polls but that shouldn’t be reflected in the mindset of the activists.

    We have been defeated but haven’t fled the battlefield or been vanquished,” he said.

    The Congress leader in Lok Sabha recalled the role played by the Chhatra Parishad in the student’s movement to protect democracy in the country.

    “The Chhatra Parishad has always fought against communalism and stood for secularism,” he said.

    The Congress, which had ruled the state before the Left Front came to power in 1977, drew a blank in the elections to the 294-member assembly held earlier this year.

  • Team Rahul Gandhi fails to impress before party poll

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The poor poll show of Congress in Kerala and Assam, managed by Rahul Gandhi and his team, is expected to create some noise ahead of the party’s schedule to elect a new party chief by month-end.

    While there are whispers that the party may further push the elections, citing COVID-19 situation, senior leaders may not stop questioning the party’s abysmal performance.

    The Congress did not have much stake in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where it won in alliance with the DMK.

    However, Kerala was one state the party was looking at capturing power. The defeat has come as a huge setback for party leader Rahul Gandhi, who is the MP from Wayanad in the state and has also been micro-managing the polls.

    Both Rahul Gandhi and sister Priyanka carried out extensive campaigns in Kerala and Assam. In Assam, the party brought in Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Bhagel and Rahul’s close aide Jitender Singh but there was no local face that could woo the voters.

    In Kerala, the infighting among state unit and differences with central leadership has dented the party as it failed to capitalise upon the anti-incumbency against the Pinarayi Vijayan government.

  • Arrogance, might, money power lost in West Bengal: Congress leader Kapil Sibal

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Following Trinamool Congress’ thumping win in assembly elections in West Bengal, Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday said “arrogance, might, money power and using Jai Shri Ram for politics” lost the polls in the state.

    Sibal also hailed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is all set to continue her third term in West Bengal.

    “In West Bengal, who lost – arrogance, might, money power, using Jai Shri Ram for politics, a divisive agenda and the Election Commission. She (Mamata Benerjee) stood up to them and won,” the Congress leader said in a tweet.

    As per the latest trends of the Election Commission, TMC has won 209 seats and is leading in four. About 47.94 per cent of the total voted were in the TMC’s favour. It received about 38.1 per cent of the total. Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, has secured 76 seats and is leading in one.

    Bengal witnessed a fierce contest between the ruling TMC and BJP across eight phases. The Samyukta Morcha comprising the Congress, Left parties and ISF has also tried to put up a strong fight. The BJP has made a concerted attempt to dislodge the TMC.

  • West Bengal Assembly polls: BJP candidate Chandana Bauri, wife of daily wage labourer, wins Saltora

    By Online Desk
    BJP candidate Chandana Bauri scripted one of the historic wins in the West Bengal Assembly polls that will be long remembered by the people of the state.

    Chandana, the wife of a daily wage earner, won from West Bengal’s Saltora constituency. The 30-year-old Chandana Bauri defeated TMC candidate Sontosh Kumar Mondal by a margin of more than 4,000 votes.

    Following Chandana’s win, many took to Twitter and hailed her for this astounding success, despite coming from a humble background.

    According to the election affidavit filed by her, Chandana’s assets amount to just Rs 31,985, while her husband’s assets worth meager Rs 30,311. Chandana’s husband works as a mason for daily wages. Chandana, a mother of three children, along with her husband also owns three cows and three goats.

    During an interaction with ANI in March, earlier this year, she said, “Before the tickets were announced I had no idea that I would be selected as a candidate in the legislative assembly polls. Many people encouraged me to apply for a nomination online, but I did not think I would be able to achieve this feat.”

    Many hailed Chandana’s win as splendid and inspiring. Check out some of the reactions of people on Twitter.

    Congratulations on a splendid & inspiring victory Smt.Chandana Bauri ji.@BJP4Bengal https://t.co/d1LgtfSfNa
    — Sumiran Komarraju (@SumiranKV) May 2, 2021

    #Chandana Bauri Is Leading and will Declared Winner within Hours She Is Daily wager @doctorrichabjp Ji https://t.co/3auYYqYb3x
    — Shubham Thorat (@Shubham36551970) May 2, 2021

    Chandana Bouri from Saltora constituency has won by 4145 votes!Remember-her total worth is ₹31,985 with three goats, three cows and one hut. pic.twitter.com/1pTVxauY7D
    — Bengali Babu (@hatecommie) May 2, 2021

    Chandana Bouri from Saltora constituency has won by 4145 votes…. pic.twitter.com/LjbelrOBSw
    — Abhijit Basak (@Abhijit_Basak83) May 2, 2021

    Show her.. victory of this common woman.. chandana bauri Saltora seat.. a woman with no political background, Money powerThis is the reason to smile.. pic.twitter.com/1NR6bp519r
    — Sanjay Shrivastava #जय श्री राम (@casanjay_shri) May 2, 2021

  • Counting begins for Bengal assembly polls under tight security

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Counting of votes polled in the West Bengal assembly elections began at 8 am on Sunday under tight security and strict adherence to safety protocols, amid a raging second wave of COVID-19.

    Exit polls have forecast a tight contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the eight-phase elections to the 294-member assembly.

    The counting will decide the electoral fate of 2,116 candidates including nominees of the Left-Congress-Indian Secular Front alliance.

    The exercise is underway in 108 counting centres spread across the 23 districts of the state, where a three- tier security arrangement has been put in place.

    At least 292 observers have been appointed and 256 companies of central forces deployed at the counting centres.

    Polling to 292 assembly seats was held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29.

    Voting in Shamsherganj and Jangipur seats in Murshidabad district was postponed due to the death of some candidates.

    Polling in these two seats will now be held on May 16 and votes counted on May 19.

    In view of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state, the Election Commission has decided to place tables at the counting halls in such a way that social distancing norms are maintained.

    All the EVMs and VVPATs at the counting centres will be sanitised before the commencement of the process.

    Of the state’s 294 assembly constituencies, the most keenly watched will be Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district where Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is contesting her protege-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP.

    Banerjee, who is seeking a third term in office, has left Bhabanipur constituency in Kolkata to fight from Nandigram, the epicentre of an anti-land acquisition movement that catapulted her party to power in 2011 ending the 34- year-long Left Front rule.

    However, 10 years later, a number of leaders have left the party and joined the BJP ahead of the election which was blotched by violence, vicious personal attacks and jingoistic fulminations.

    Exit polls were divided in their forecast for the West Bengal election, where the BJP ran a high-octane campaign in its bid to capture power in the state for the first time by ending Banerjee’s 10-year-long reign.

    An average polling of 81.87 per cent was recorded in the eight phases.

     

  • BJP crossed magic figure after sixth phase: JP Nadda

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: BJP national president J P Nadda on Monday claimed that his party had crossed the magic figure of 148 seats after the sixth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections held on April 22. He also expressed gratitude to the electorates for supporting the BJP.

    “The BJP is all set to come to power in West Bengal. We have already crossed 148 seats out of 294 required to form the government in the state. In the last two phases, the BJP will touch its target of bagging 200 constituencies,” said Nadda at a press conference in Kolkata as he concluded his party’s high-octane campaign for the West Bengal elections.

    Nadda also said the elections in the state remained peaceful this time as his party workers did not fall into the trap of the ruling Trinamool Congress.“TMC workers had been instigating our party workers since the first phase. But it was our foot-soldiers who did not step into their trap. The people voted for the BJP in large numbers and rejected the misrule of the Mamata Banerjee government,” he added.

    He reiterated that the BJP would keep its promise of building a “Sonar Bangla” and the process will start after May 2, the counting day. Nadda accused Banerjee of misleading people of West Bengal on various issues, ranging from “insider-outsider” to Covid vaccination during the campaigning. He also asserted his party had upheld the culture and legacy of Bengal as against the “insulting” language adopted by Banerjee against the BJP leadership.

  • Five killed, four in CISF firing, on bloody Bengal poll day

    Express News Service
    NORTH DINAJPUR (WEST BENGAL): Violence erupted in the fourth phase of election in West Bengal on Saturday, leaving five persons dead, four of them in Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar, after central forces opened fire on them.

    The fifth person, a first-time voter, was shot dead allegedly by a Trinamool Congress supporter in the same area.

    In a preliminary report, the police said Central Industrial Security Force personnel opened fire after a group of 200-odd villagers allegedly attacked them and tried to snatch their weapons.

    The incident took place a day after the Election Commission served a notice on chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her statement against the central force deployed on election duty in the state.

    In a rally, Mamata had asked women electorates to gherao central force personnel, accusing the troops of working at the behest of the BJP.

    Cooch Behar superintendent of police Debasish Dhar said the mob attacked the CISF personnel after a rumour that a child was beaten up by the central force personnel in the area.

    According to police sources, around 9.35 am a Quick Reaction Team of the CISF led by coy commander inspector E. Sunil Kumar was attacked by a mob of 50-odd locals in front of booth No 126 when they were patrolling the area along with local police personnel to clear unlawful assembly of villagers.

    “The villagers scuffled with the central force personnel in which a child fell down. The mob turned violent and started damaging the vehicles. In self-defense, the CISF personnel fired six rounds in the air to disperse the attackers. An SOS was sent and additional CISF personnel arrived at the spot,” a police officer said.

    Shortly after the mob was dispersed, a 200-strong group gathered and accused the CISF of beating the child. They started beating a home guard and a Asha worker who were on duty at the booth, the police said.

    “The CISF personnel tried to pacify the attackers who entered the booth and started assaulting the polling personnel. A section of the miscreants tried to snatch the rifles from the CISF. The troops again fired two rounds in the air but the attackers did not pay any heed to the warning,” the police officer said. “The mob started advancing aggressively towards the CISF personnel who sensed imminent danger to their lives. They fired seven more rounds towards the advancing mob. Other than the deceased, three others were also injured in the firing.”

    Mediator told to ensure safe transit of jawan

    “We were dropped at Tarrem in Bijapur by the police on Thursday morning and our onward journey of about 15 km was with the local journalists on their motorcycles,” Saini and Boraiyya said.

    They were told by the Maoists to reach Jonaguda. “The Maoists had sent their messenger to Jonaguda, where we had to wait for 20 minutes. We reached the jan adalat spot around 9 am. The entire proceeding was conducted out by a woman Maoist,” Boraiyya said.

    “The talks with the Maoists were constructive, they didn’t raise any demand for the release of the jawan,” Saini further said. Boraiyya’s family subsists on his monthly pension and a 12-acre of agriculture land.

    “As the head of a tribal body, I work among our community to create awareness on education and against social evils. We also ensure that the culture of tribals remains intact ,” he added.

    “For us both Saini and Boraiyya were facilitators rather than mediators. Their credibility worked to achieve the goal,” said Bastar IGP Sunderraj P. Saini. Boraiyya revealed the Maoists told them to ensure the jawan reaches his home in Jammu safely.

  • West Bengal Assembly elections: Four killed as central forces open fire after coming under attack

    By PTI
    SITALKUCHI: Four persons were killed as central forces allegedly opened fire after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Saturday, police said.

    A senior district police officer said that the incident took place in Sitalkuchi area when voting was underway. “As per preliminary reports, four persons were killed as CISF personnel opened fire after coming under attack in a village. A scuffle took place, and locals gheraoed them and attempted to snatch their rifles, following which the central forces opened fire. Further details are awaited,” he said.

    The TMC claimed that the four deceased persons were its supporters. When asked whether any action has been taken against the CISF personnel, the officer said, “It is for the EC to decide. As per our reports, they opened fire in self-defence.”

    Official sources in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) said the incident took place at Mathabhanga polling booth around 9:40 am. “A group of people started pelting stones to thwart the voters from casting their ballots and they got into a scuffle with our troops and those from the local police deployed there,” a source said.

    Sources said that the force personnel fired in the air after our quick reaction team (QRT) vehicle was damaged by the mob. They added that the personnel later opened fire “in self-defence and to protect the booth and the polling staff” in which one person was killed while 3-4 others suffered bullet injuries.

    Election officials said a report on the incident has been sought from the district officials. The four bodies were taken to a nearby hospital. Earlier in the morning, a first-time voter was shot dead by unidentified persons outside a polling booth in the same Sitalkuchi assembly constituency area.

    BJP’s Cooch Behar MP Nisith Pramanik, who is also contesting the assembly elections from Dinhata constituency, alleged that TMC supporters attacked the booth. “TMC goons attacked the booth with an intention to loot it. Maybe the central forces opened fire in self- defence,” he said.

  • Bengal polls: BJP’s polling agent stopped from entering booth in Tollygunge; Babul Supriyo intervenes

    By ANI
    SOUTH 24 PARGANAS: BJP’s polling agent, who was allegedly stopped from entering a booth in Tollygunge as the voting for the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections is underway, was allowed to enter after Union Minister Babul Supryo’s intervention.

    BJP’s polling agent at Gandhi Colony Bharati Balika Vidyalaya was initially not allowed inside the station. Further, BJP MP and candidate from Tollygunge assembly constituency Supriyo reached there and ensured the agent’s entry.

    “Till now everything is going smooth. TMC wants if some chaos can be created. Our polling agent has a valid ID but was not being allowed by the Presiding Officer and the TMC. We showed his details from the website. After digital verification, he is allowed now,” Supriyo told ANI.

    Cornering West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he said: “The biggest challenge is to remove Mamata Didi and TMC from West Bengal. Aroop Biswas (TMC candidate from the constituency) has been the right hand of all her works. So is a challenge to change the atmosphere of terror here.”

    ALSO READ: First-time voter shot dead outside polling booth in Bengal

    Among the most high-profile contests in Phase-IV, one is the Tollygunge constituency, where BJP has fielded Supriyo against sitting TMC MLA Aroop Biswas. Biswas, also a minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal cabinet, has been representing the Tollygunge Assembly constituency for the last three terms.

    Worth mentioning, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan campaigned for TMC candidate Biswas. CPI(M) has fielded Debdut Ghosh from the seat.

    Voting for 44 constituencies in West Bengal’s fourth phase Assembly elections began at 7 am on Saturday amid tight security.

    This phase of the elections will witness an intense battle between 373 candidates in 44 constituencies of the state across five districts – Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly.

    Among the 44 constituencies, nine are in Howrah, 10 in Hooghly, 11 in South 24 Parganas, five in Alipurduar and nine in Cooch Behar.

    A total of 1,15,81,022 voters will participate in this phase, out of which 2,63,016 are first-time voters.

    The fifth phase of the assembly elections will commence on April 17. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

  • West Bengal Assembly elections: First-time voter shot dead outside polling booth

    By PTI
    SITALKUCHI: A first-time voter was shot dead by unidentified persons outside a polling booth in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Saturday, police said.

    The Trinamool Congress alleged that the BJP was behind the killing, while the saffron party claimed that the deceased was its polling agent at the booth and pointed the accusing finger at the ruling party in the state.

    The youth, identified as Anand Burman, was dragged outside polling booth number 85 in Pathantuli area of Sitalkuchi while voting was underway and shot dead, a police officer said.

    The incident triggered a clash between TMC and BJP supporters and several people were injured as bombs were lobbed outside the booth.

    Central forces had to resort to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control, he said.

    “We have received information that a person was shot dead outside a polling booth in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district. We have sought a report from the micro-observer as soon as possible and the returning officer was called up to know about the situation,” an election official said.

    Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in the area.

    Incidentally, BJP state chief and MP Dilip Ghosh had come under attack from ‘TMC workers’ in Sitalkuchi area a few days back.

    TMC leader and Natabari constituency candidate Rabindra Nath Ghosh alleged that the BJP workers were behind the killing.

    “BJP goons are behind the killing. They were creating a nuisance here for several days as they are losing the elections and now, they are killing people,” he told PTI.

    Dismissing Ghosh’s claim, Sitalkuchi’s BJP candidate Baren Chandra Barman said that the deceased person was the party’s polling agent at the booth and TMC activists were behind the murder.

    “He was our polling agent and was going to the booth when TMC goons shot him dead. Rabindra Nath Ghosh’s claim is a total lie. We have informed the SP and the ECI about the incident, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits,” Barman said.

    He also claimed that police or central forces were not present near the booth when the killing took place.