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Mamata or Suvendu? Bengal gears up for second phase polls on Thursday
The campaigning for the phase ended on Tuesday even as both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised concerns over “outsiders” entering these constituencies
Thirty assembly constituencies spread over four districts, including Nandigram where chief minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against her protégé-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari, will go to the polls in the second phase of West Bengal elections on Thursday.
The campaigning for the phase ended on Tuesday even as both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised concerns over “outsiders” entering these constituencies.
“There is a serious apprehension that the anti-social elements and criminals will pose a great threat to the fair and impartial election,” a BJP letter to the state’s chief electoral officer (CEO) said.
Banerjee has also been alleging that “goons from outside the state” have entered Nandigram and a few other constituencies and have been put up in hotels and lodges.
“I have news that BJP workers wearing police uniforms would enter the villages to scare the voters and threaten them to vote for BJP in the upcoming elections,” Banerjee said at a rally in Nandigram.
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The Election Commission is deploying around 650 companies of central armed personnel across 10,620 polling booths in 30 constituencies, where 7.6 million voters are eligible to vote. In Nandigram, around 20 companies are being deployed at 355 booths.
A BJP delegation met the CEO on Wednesday and sought a bar on the assembly of over four people in some areas to prevent violence. Minor clashes were reported during the first phase of polling on March 27.
“The [Election] Commission is taking all necessary measures and if necessary special measures would be enforced to hold free and fair elections in all the constituencies. The district officials have directed accordingly to check for outsiders in hotels and lodges,” said a Commission official.
The polls are being held over eight phases and the results will be declared on May 2.
