News Analysis India

Tag: West Bengal Polls 2021

  • Shah blames Mamata for Sitalkuchi violence, says her ‘advice to gherao central forces instigated attack’

    By PTI
    SANTIPUR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a scathing attack against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that her advice to gherao central forces had instigated people to attack CISF in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi that led to four deaths in firing by security personnel.

    He also accused the TMC supremo of doing appeasement politics even in case of deaths.

    “Mamata Banerjee had advised people to gherao central forces. Is that not responsible for the deaths in Sitalkuchi? Her advice had instigated the people to attack the CISF,” Shah told reporters after a roadshow in Santipur in Nadia district.

    Apart from the four deaths in what the CISF described as a “self-defence action”, a BJP worker was also shot dead by unidentified persons in the same Sitalkuchi assembly constituency during the fourth phase of voting on Saturday.

    Shah alleged that Banerjee did appeasement politics by paying tributes to the people killed in the CISF firing but did not condole the death of the BJP worker, identified as Anand Barman, as he was from the Rajbongshi community who are not her vote bank.

    “Attempts are being made to politicise the Sitalkuchi killings. Mamata Banerjee had paid tributes to four persons who were killed in the CISF firing but did not condole the death of Anand Barman as he is a Rajbongshi and is not fit for her vote bank. It is very unfortunate to see appeasement politics even in case of deaths,” he said.

    Noting that polling in the first three phases was by and large peaceful, Shah appealed to all the political parties to abide by the Election Commission rules in the next four phases.

    Banerjee, while addressing a rally at Baneswar in Cooch Behar district on April 7, had alleged that CRPF personnel were harassing and killing people at Shah’s behest.

    She had advised people to “form groups to gherao central forces and keep them busy by talking to them”, while others will quickly go to polling stations and cast their votes.

  • 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.

  • 76.16 per cent turnout in fourth phase of elections in West Bengal

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal registered a voter turnout of 76.16 per cent till 5.00 pm during the fourth phase of polling on Saturday in 44 assembly constituencies spread across five districts, a senior official in the CEO’s office said.

    The highest turnout of 79.73 per cent was registered in Cooch Behar district, followed by 76.2 per cent polling in Hoogly.

    In South 24 Parganas it was 75.49 per cent, while in Howrah it was 75.03 per cent and in Alipurduar 73.65 per cent, he said.

    Polling was held from 7 am to 6.30 pm in 15,940 polling nine assembly constituencies in Howrah, 11 in South 24 Parganas, five in Alipurduar, nine in Coochbehar and ten in Hooghly district.

    West Bengal had registered 84.13 per cent voting in the first, 86.11 per cent in the second and 84.61 per cent in the third phase of polling, data by the CEO’s office said.

    The result of the 44 seats will be declared along with 250 others of the state on May 2.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • No question of post-poll tie-up with Mamata Banerjee: Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury ruled out the possibility of extending support to the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC or seeking her support in case the high-octane assembly elections throw up a fractured mandate.

    Accusing the chief minister of trying to communalise the elections, Chowdhury said that the TMC and the BJP might join hands if both the parties fall short of the requisite numbers to form the government.

    “BJP and communal politics have found a foothold in West Bengal because of Mamata Banerjee. There is no question of supporting the TMC in a post-poll scenario if it falls short of a majority.

    “Similarly, there are zero chances of the Congress- Left-ISF Sanjukta Morcha or United Front alliance seeking her support to form the government. There is no possibility of any post-poll tie-up with the TMC,” Chowdhury told PTI in an interview.

    When asked whether the Congress and Left’s refusal to extend support to the TMC will help the BJP, the two-time state Congress chief said, “In such a scenario, you will see the TMC and the BJP joining hands to form the government.”

    “Just like old wine tastes better, old friends are also trustworthy. The TMC and the BJP, who were earlier alliance partners, will join hands. They are like two sides of a coin,” he said.

    Chowdhury, however, mocked Banerjee for “surrendering” before Congress president Sonia Gandhi through her letter seeking the support of all the opposition parties.

    “Mamata Banerjee had deliberately destroyed the Congress in West Bengal in the last 10 years despite the grand old party helping her come to power. Now see the irony, she has become so nervous that she surrendered before the same Congress, which she tried to finish off politically,” he said.

    The TMC had joined hands with the Congress to oust the Left Front from power in 2011.

    However, the alliance fell apart after coming to power.

    “The Congress leadership is well aware of the political character of the TMC. Earlier the TMC had called the Congress a spent force, but now it is begging before us,” he said.

    Terming Banerjee the “biggest and most-trusted ally” of RSS-BJP, Chowdhury said her party lacks the credibility as an anti-BJP force and time has come to bid farewell to TMC’s “misrule”.

    “Sanjukta Morcha is fighting the elections to win it and form the next government. We are not here to play second fiddle to anyone. The credibility of the TMC as an anti-BJP force is completely zero. The BJP, on the other hand, is inducting corrupt leaders and is a communal force,” he said.

    Expressing happiness over the “massive response” that the Sanjukta Morcha is getting during campaigning, Chowdhury said that despite efforts of the TMC and the BJP, a triangular contest is being witnessed in the elections and not a bipolar one, as expected by the two parties.

    He accused both the TMC and BJP of taking West Bengal’s political discourse to an “all-time low” through a “vitriolic and communal” campaign.

    “I have been in politics for a long time. I have never seen the political discourse stooping to such a low level. Such kind of vitriolic and communal campaign by both the TMC and the BJP is against the culture and ethos of West Bengal. Personal attacks are unacceptable,” he said.

    Accusing the TMC of fuelling identity and appeasement politics, Chowdhury said that Banerjee, through her comments that Muslims should vote en masse for her party “is not only communal but also a reflection of her frustration”.

    “She has been doing this for the last 10 years. I fail to understand how a chief minister can make such a comment that goes against the principles of our Constitution. It is shameful and distasteful,” he said, referring to Banerjee’s comments at a recent election rally that prompted the Election Commission to issue her a notice.

    Chowdhury, the five-time MP from the Berhampore Lok Sabha seat, claimed that the Sanjukta Morcha is fighting the elections to bring the state out of the “dark days” of the TMC rule and take it to a “new era of development”.

    He dismissed allegations both from within and outside that the Congress and Left Front have compromised with communalism by allying with Abbas Siddiqui’s Indian Secular Front (ISF).

    “The ISF has publicly stated its policies and principles, and it is no way a communal force. It is a secular party just like ours, and all of us are fighting to save West Bengal from the communal onslaught,” he said.

    He said the alliance has been stitched well and possibilities of “friendly fights” in some seats are only “exceptions”.

    “Only in one seat, we are having a friendly fight with the Left. In some seats allotted to us, the ISF has expressed the desire to contest the polls. Nothing has been decided yet,” he said.

    Elections for the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal are being held in eight phases.

    The votes will be counted on May 2.

  • EC issues second notice, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says don’t care

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI/KOLKATA:  West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has been asked to explain comments during her election campaign, where she allegedly accused central security forces of working under instructions of Home Minister Amit Shah. She has been asked to reply by 11 am Saturday. This is the second notice to Mamata in the last few of days.

    On Wednesday, EC had issued her a notice over alleged appeal for votes along communal lines, saying it was in violation of the model code and the Representation of the People Act. The EC took strong objection of Mamata’s comments while sending the second notice.

    It said her remarks were “prima facie, completely false, provocative and intemperate statements… (It) attempts to berate and vilify central paramilitary forces during electoral process are causing extreme demoralisation amongst ranks and file of these forces, who have been rendering a yeoman’s service since late 80s elections after elections and have made a commendable contribution, especially in ensuring area domination and causing deterrence for anti-social hooligans by their presence,” the notice read.

    On a campaign trail at Jamalpur in Bardhaman district, Mamata repeated her accusation. “I will continue speaking about CPRF until they stop working for BJP. Once they stop doing that, I will salute them. I do not care about your (EC’s) showcause letters. You are working at the behest of BJP. I wonder why there is no violation when the PM campaigns on polling days.”

    Shah vs Mamata

    Campaigning in Kolkata, Shah hit back at the TMC chief. He said Mamata’s comments against central forces betrayed frustration over her impending defeat.

    “TMC’s frustration is evident from her speeches. I have never seen a chief minister or the president of a political party use the kind of words Mamata Banerjee is using against central forces. Is she trying to create anarchy? She should know that central forces do not function under the home ministry during elections. They function under the Election Commission,” Shah said.

    Mamata was relentless. Speaking at another rally, she claimed that Shah was trying to spark a riot in the state.

    “I have not seen such a gunda, dangabaaz (rioteer) home minister in my life. Shah is more dangerous than a tiger. People fear to talk to him. I will urge Narendra Modi to control Shah first. He is inciting riots here.”

  • West Bengal Assembly elections: Tug of war to claim Dalit dividend

    Express News Service
    COOCH BEHAR/ALIPURDUAR: Sitting on a wooden chair in his small book store, Surojit Dey was looking at the BJP roadshow marching along the arterial road of Alipurduar.

    The small town in north Bengal never experienced such an election extravaganza thousands of people, lines of decorated vehicles and dozens of musical bands. The crowd continued roaring ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

    “Look at the faces. They represent all segments of our society college students, government employees, daily wage workers. Most of them are Dalits who used to be the strength of our party five years ago,’’ said Surojit, a TMC worker.

    The narrative in the two north Bengal districts adjoining Assam Cooch Behar and Alipurduar comprising 14 Assembly seats which are going to feel the poll heat on Saturday is centred around Dalits.

    Voters from the backward classes shifted allegiance en bloc to BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls which caused panic in TMC ranks after the results.

    “Dalits decide the fate of parties in at least 20 constituencies in north Bengal,’’ said Surojit. About half of Cooch Behar’s population belongs to SCs. In Alipurduar, 48 per cent are Scheduled Tribes and 20 per cent SCs. Among the SCs, more than 35 per cent are Rajbangsi, the prime target of all parties.

    When BJP is promising to set up a battalion in para-military force comprising Rajbangshis, TMC, armed with an RTI document, is labelling the promise as a trick to hoodwink Dalits.

    Prasenjit Roy, a school teacher in Cooch Behar and CPI(M) leader, said BJP and TMC are leaving no stone unturned to please the Rajbangshi community.

    “In 2016, TMC enjoyed the support of this community, but in 2019 the party bled here because of the shift in Rajbangshi votes. TMC did not allow hundreds of candidates to file nominations in the 2018 panchayat elections and that became a factor,” he said. Roy admits that his party had encouraged its supporters to vote for BJP in 2019 to teach TMC a lesson.

    Now, it finds it difficult to bring the vote bank back despite the alliance between CPI(M) and Congress.

    “It turned out to be a wrong move. We paved the way for a party which never imagined doing well in north Bengal.” In the 2016 Assembly elections, TMC had bagged 12 out of 14 seats in this region.

    After three years, BJP secured lead in 12 of those. With BJP desperate to secure Rajbangshi votes, Mamata Banerjee is banking on a split in the community.

    In February, before visiting Cooch Behar, Amit Shah had gone to the residence of Ananta Rai, a self-styled Maharaja of the district who belongs to the Rajbangshi community and has been living in Assam since August 2020.

    Rai leads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association (GCPA), which has a history of leading movements often using violence to secure its goals, and seeks to carve out of the district of Cooch Behar and some adjoining areas of West Bengal and Assam to establish a state of Greater Cooch Behar.

    While addressing a rally, Shah promised that a battalion in paramilitary forces would be named Narayani Sena and a training centre would be named after Chila Rai, legendary general of the Narayani dynasty army of the 16th century.

    BJP had made this promise before 2019 Lok Sabha elections also and members of the community overwhelmingly voted for them. Shah’s announcement was slightly short of expectations, considering that the Rajbangshis have for long demanding a Narayani regiment in Indian Army.

    Souvik De Sarkar, a school teacher in Alipurduar, said TMC did not miss the opportunity to brand BJP a party that makes false promises.

    “The chief minister displayed an RTI document where MHA said it did not receive any proposal of creating a Narayani Sena battalion in the paramilitary force and she announced the creation of a Narayani battalion in the state police.”

    TMC is trying its best to exploit this crack in GCPA by bringing some of them into its fold. “It seems Mamata won over a section of the community by taking Bangshi Badan Barman, leader of another GCPA faction, into confidence,’’ said De Sarkar.

    Barman said BJP fooled the people of Cooch Behar and he and his followers highlighted it during campaigning this time around.

    He cited the formation of a battalion in the state force, creation of a Rajbangshi development board and Rajbangshi (language) academy, approval of 200 Rajbangshi-medium primary schools and state holiday on the birth anniversary of Panchanan Barma (icon of the community) among the steps Mamata has taken for the upliftment of the community. Sensing a fight, BJP has fielded sitting MP Nisith Pramanik from the Cooch Behar Assembly seat.

    “Dalits in this region are in our favour. TMC’s efforts to use factionalism among the Rajbangshis will not work,’’ Pramanik said.

    Notable rivalries

    Union minister Babul Supriyo (BJP) vs state minister Arup Biswas (TMC) in Tollygunge; Partha Chatterjee (TMC secretary general) vs actor Srabanti Chatterjee (BJP) in Behala West

    Star candidates

    Actors Payel Sarkar (BJP, Behala East) & Srabanti Chatterjee (BJP, Behala West), MP Locket Chatterjee (BJP, Chinsurah), cricketer Manoj Tiwary (TMC, Shibpur)

  • Anti-Romeo squads in West Bengal if BJP is voted to power: Yogi Adityanath

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath Thursday said that anti-Romeo squads will be formed in Bengal if the party is voted to power in the state.

    Bengal is not a safe place for women under the present TMC government, Adityanath, also Uttar Pradesh chief minister, said addressing three poll rallies in Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal He said if BJP is voted to power it will stress on women and education.

    “Why is Bengal not a safe place for women?….Education and transport will be made free for girls in Bengal. Anti-Romeo squads will be formed in Bengal to deal with those who loiter around girls schools,” he said.

    Anti-Romeo sqauds were launched in Uttar Pradesh to ensure safety of women soon after Adityanath assumed power in 2017.

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party, the TMC have often referred to the Hathras gangrape case to mock at Adityanath government’s policing for women and the law and order situation in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh.

    The top BJP leader criticised the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and derided it for failing to bring in any positive change in the ten years that it has been in power.

    “Where is the paribartan (change) that Mamata Banerjee had promised ten years ago? he asked.

    When Trinamool Congress came to power in the state a decade ago it had promised to serve ‘maa-maati-manush’ (mother, motherland and people), which became its slogan.

    “What happened to that slogan? I have come to ask Mamata Banerjee about it. Why is Bengal not a safe place for women? This soil had produced so many social reformers. What happened to the youth of the state who have become frustrated?” he asked.

    Adityanath claimed that Banerjee has no compassion for the youth, farmers and development.

    “But she has compassion for the TMC goons” .

    Referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act, he said it had been passed by Parliament and TMC had fanned violence against it in West Bengal.

    The violence that occurred in West Bengal due to the legislation of CAA in Parliament had been fanned by the TMC.

    In UP the government had recovered money from those who indulged in violence and damaged public property, he said.

    “Here in Bengal, TMC is all for appeasement for the sake of vote bank. Mamata Banerjee supports cow slaughter. In UP cow slaughter is not allowed. If anybody is found to be involved in it, the person goes to jail”, Adityanath said.

    “TMC is not allowing central schemes to be implemented in West Bengal. Violence, anarchy and corruption have ruined the state”, he added.

    Expressing confidence that the BJP will come to power in Bengal, the saffron party leader said “after the election results are declared on May 2 The TMC goons will be sent to jail. There will be an end to hooliganism and rule of law will prevail”.

    Adityanath also iterated the need for a ‘double engine’ government the government of the same party (BJP) at the Centre and the state for faster development of the state.

  • Bengal polls 2021: Mamata Banerjee asks voters to be on guard, fears intimidation by central forces

    By PTI
    BALAGARH: Apprehending that a section of central paramilitary forces may visit villages to intimidate people, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asked voters to be on guard.

    Addressing a public meeting here in Hooghly district, Banerjee alleged central forces are working on instructions of the “Union Home Ministry run by Amit Shah.”

    “I have respect for the central paramilitary forces but they are working on instructions from Delhi. They are committing atrocities on villagers before polling day, some of them are even harassing women. They are asking people to vote for BJP. We will not allow this to continue,” the TMC chief said.

    Banerjee called upon the state police force “to keep vigil and not to bow their heads before Delhi.

    “Your job is to ensure free and fair polls, please be stern with trouble makers and keep your integrity intact.”

    Asking villagers to lodge FIRs at local police station in case of any excess committed by central forces, the chief minister said, “If the police station refuses to accept the FIRs, inform us”.

    Blaming BJP for “spreading lies about promulgation of section 144 in an entire constituency,” the TMC supremo said, “They (BJP) spreads lies to create panic. In reality, section 144 is in force within 200 metres of a booth. But they are doing this to prevent our voters from going to polling stations.”

    Banerjee asked polling agents to be vocal and to protest any “misdeed by BJP and security forces”.

    Asking voters not to turn West Bengal into “another Gujarat” by voting for the saffron party, she said, “If you wish to protect the oldest Durga puja in Guptipara, if you wish to protect our festivals like Durga Puja, please ensure the defeat of BJP.”

    Banerjee, who iterated the TMC government’s commitment to protect the heritage Rathyatra in Mahesh, the celebrations at Bandel Church, the unique Santhal festivals in Jangalmahal, chanted ‘Chandi Mantra’ while wrapping up her speech.

    Banerjee said the candidate for the reserved Balagarh seat Manoranjan Byapari is chairman of state-run Dalit Sahitya Academy.

    She exuded confidence that Byapari would always stand by the marginalised in the constituency.