News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal election result 2021

  • EC cracks whip as TMC supporters go on celebration spree, flouting COVID norms 

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Physical distancing went for a toss as TMC supporters, thumbing their noses at the raging COVID-19 pandemic, hit the streets, beating drums, bursting firecrackers and smearing ‘gulal’ on one another, prompting the Election Commission to call for action.

    The poll panel, which barred celebratory processions and congregations on after counting of votes, asked the state administration to take action against all police stations that failed to stop enthusiasts from taking out rallies.

    Several TMC activists had no mask on their faces as they lustily cheered and danced to their party’s ‘khela hobe’ (game to happen) theme song, which played on huge sound systems in the city’s nooks and corners.

    Taking to Twitter, an election official said, “The ECI has taken serious note of reports coming in of congregation(s) of people to celebrate anticipated victory.

    It has directed CS of all five states (including Bengal) to file FIR in each such case, suspend SHO of the concerned PS and report action taken immediately of each such incidence.

    ” A police officer, posted in the city’s Alipore area, however, said that the ruling party’s supporters did not pay heed, despite several requests and warnings.

    “What can we do if people don’t listen to us? We had put up barricades to stop them but people are in no mood to listen,” he claimed.

    A senior government official, when approached, gave assurance that necessary action will be taken against those flouting the EC norms.

    “We have sought an explanation from the police stations concerned.

    If we find any laxity on the part of the police station in-charge, action will be taken,” he added.

    The ruling TMC looks all set to retain power in Bengal with its candidates leading in 202 of the state’s 292 constituencies that went to polls against BJP’s 82, according to the trends available for 288 seats on Election Commission website at 3.45 pm.

     

  • People of Bengal gave befitting reply to repeated attacks on Mamata: Partha Chatterjee on poll trends

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee Sunday said trends available for 284 seats indicate that the people of West Bengal have given a befitting reply to the repeated “attacks” on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    Mocking the BJP, Chatterjee also said he wants to see the faces of those who had raised the slogan ”Is bar 200 par” (This time, over 200 seats for the saffron party).

    “People are with Mamata Banerjee and have replied to the derogatory comments and attacks on her and the populace of Bengal,” he told reporters here.

    “We have always talked about unity and development… and the way the CM had worked for the welfare of people by risking her life amid the pandemic, has reflected in the election results,” Chatterjee added.

    The ruling TMC looked set to retain power in West Bengal with its candidates leading in 202 of the state”s 292 seats that went to poll against BJP”s 77, as trends were available for 284 seats.

  • Early trends not real indicator of Bengal poll outcome: BJP’s Kailash Vijayvargiya

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday exuded confidence that his party will form the next government in West Bengal.

    He said that the initial trends from postal ballots were “not the real indicator of the final outcome”.

    “We will cross the magic figure by evening. I am sure that we will form the next government in Bengal,” Vijayvargiya, who is also the BJP’s Bengal minder, said.

    FOLLOW POLL RESULTS HERE

    The saffron party, which had managed to secure just three seats in the last assembly elections, is making good progress, he stated.

    Early trends till 10.30 am showed that the ruling TMC was surging ahead of challenger BJP, leading in 101 of the 156 seats.

    The saffron party was ahead in just 53 seats.

    “The TMC goons had terrorised the voters who used the postal ballot option. We had a feeling that our party will not do well in postal ballots. However, the BJP is making good progress,” he added.

  • Bengal election result 2021: Mamata trails BJP rival Suvendu in Nandigram 

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was Sunday trailing her BJP rival Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram by 3460 votes after two rounds of counting, officials said.

    According to trends available from 120 of the 292 assembly seats that went to polls, the TMC is ahead in 75, BJP 43 and Independents 2.

    FOLLOW POLL RESULTS HERE

    Another 15 rounds of counting will take place in Nandigram before the result is announced.

    In Singur seat, TMC minister and candidate Becharam Manna is leading his nearest rival Rabidranath Bhattacharya of the BJP after first round of counting.

    TMC candidate from Bhabanipur, the seat vacated by Mamata Banerjee, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, is leading, and so is Firhad Hakim, a minister, from the Kolkata Port constituency.

  • 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.

     

  • TMC writes to EC over ‘inadequacies’ in direction for counting of votes on May 2

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday wrote to the Election Commission (EC) regarding ‘inadequacies’ in its direction for counting of votes on May 2, stating that no provision has been made for submission of negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test by polling officers and CAPF personnel.

    In its letter written to the EC, listing the inadequacies in its directions dated April 28, 2021, said, “The Directions mandate submission of negative test report of COVID-19 of election agent, counting agent and/or candidate prior to such election agent, counting agent and/or candidate being permitted to enter the counting hall. However, surprisingly no such provision has been made for submission of negative test report of COVID-19 by polling officers present in the counting halls.”

    Highlighting that 23,000 to 24,000 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel will be deployed outside the counting hall on May 2, 2021, the TMC stated there is an absence of any provision in the directions or use of PPE kits and submission of negative test report of COVID-19 by such CAPF personnel thereby endangering their health and life.

    “ECI seems to be oblivious to the safety of the life and health concerns of the CAPF personnel. Lastly, the directions only provide that if required, postal ballot may be counted in a separate hall under the supervision of the Returning Officer/Assistant Returning Officer. However, it is of utmost importance that the counting of votes cast by postal ballot should be completed before the counting of votes cast on the EVM machine,” said the TMC in the letter.

    It further stated that due to the large number of votes cast by postal ballot in view of the ongoing pandemic, the postal ballot counting will require additional time and therefore the same should be counted before counting of votes on the EVM machine.

    “In the circumstances, we call upon you to forthwith address the aforesaid lacunae/Inadequacies in the Directions and issue appropriate additional directions to address the same,” the letter concluded.

    West Bengal is undergoing an eight-phased Assembly election. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)