West Bengal Assembly Polls highlights: Voting ends for 7th phase of elections

The seventh and second-last phase of polling in 34 Bengal assembly seats in four districts and a part of south Kolkata were held peacefully on Monday barring stray violence in some areas even as a sharp spike in coronavirus infections kept many voters indoors. Read more

Trinamool Congress supremo and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led central government of being "monumentally incompetent" to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) adding the BJP's sole motto is to capture Bengal anyhow.

"The government at the Centre is monumentally incompetent and a total failure. They have the single motto to capture Bengal anyhow. In doing so, they ruined the country. The Prime Minister and Home minister have been stationed in Bengal for the last three months," Banerjee said while virtually addressing a rally in Kolkata.

Voting has ended for the seventh phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal across 34 constituencies.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda said on Monday that TMC supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee tried to create false narratives during this year's election. "But I salute the electorate of Bengal who rejected these narratives and gave their support and blessings to BJP," Nadda said while addressing a press conference in Kolkata.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday attacked the Election Commission of India (EC) by calling it “BJP’s parrot” even as she welcomed the Madras high court’s remarks earlier in the day where it pulled up the poll panel for allowing political rallies amid the raging coronavirus pandemic across the country. Read more

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Supremo and West Bengal chief minister was seen showing a victory sign on Monday afternoon after she exercised her franchise at the polling station in Kolkata's Bhabanipur during the seventh phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal.

A voter turnout of 67.27 per cent has been so far recorded in the seventh phase of the West Bengal assembly elections.

The seventh phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal has reported a voter turnout of 55.12 per cent till now.

As polling for the seventh phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal continues, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Bengal chief minister on misleading the state's residents on vaccination against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Addressing a public meeting in Malda, Nadda said on one hand Banerjee was making false allegations with regard to the availability of vaccine doses and on the other she chose to not attend meetings chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the countrywide vaccination program, reports PTI.

Voter turnout in the seventh phase rises to 55.12% at 1:32pm in the ongoing seventh phase of the polling in West Bengal assembly elections.

All Covid-19 related safety guidelines are being followed at the polling stations, come cast your vote, says Election Commission of India (ECI).

Voter turnout recorded at 37.72% till 11:36am across all 34 constituencies voting in the ongoing seventh phase, according to EC's voter turnout app.

BJP polling agent Sankar Sakar alleges he was forcefully pushed out of booth no.91 by TMC workers and made to leave the spot in Bakhra village of Ratua, Malda. "They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them," says Sakar.

BJP's Agnimitra Paul alleges TMC polling agent in polling booth at Baktarnagar High School was wearing a cap with chief minister Mamata Banerjee's photo on it. "EC has said that you can't wear anything that has your party's symbol or a political leader's picture. This is Mamata Banerjee's trick. She knows people won't vote for her. Her time is up. The agent says that he didn't know about it. I will complain," says Paul.

According to EC's voter turnout app, the turnout was 17.95% till 9:35am across 34 constituencies voting in the ongoing seventh phase. Murshidabad saw the highest turnout at 19.53% while Kolkata South lowest at 13.07%.

Wherever I've been campaigning I've seen people's support for only one face-our CM's...Why was EC sleeping all this while? When PM decided he won't hold any public meetings, EC decided to call off all public meetings. It listens to PM and HM more than anyone else: TMC MP Nusrat Jahan after casting vote

Counting of votes and declaration of results for all 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal will take place on May 2. The day will also witness the same exercises for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.

People queue up outside a polling booth in Murshidabad, as they await their turn to cast their vote for the seventh phase of

"Extremely confident that Mamata Banerjee will be back with 2/3rd majority. People are dying but EC is conducting 8-phase polls to benefit a party," says TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee, after voting at Mitra Institution in Kolkata's Bhowanipore.

TMC candidate from Bhowanipore, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, casts vote. CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is the sitting MLA from Bhowanipore but is contesting from Nandigram this time against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari.

BJP candidate from Ratua constituency in Malda, Abhishek Singhania, casts his vote. "Ratua is the most backward constituency in Malda. The local MLA is a migrant MLA as he comes only to get votes. People have decided to go with BJP," says Singhania.

"The seventh phase of the West Bengal elections takes place today. Urging people to exercise their franchise and follow all Covid-19 related protocols," tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Voting in the seventh and penultimate phase of the West Bengal assembly elections begins in 34 assembly constituencies in the eastern state.

Election officials conduct mock poll at a polling booth in Asansol, ahead of voting for the seventh phase of assembly elections, scheduled to commence at 7am.

Voting for the seventh and penultimate phase of the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections will begin at 7am. Voters across 34 assembly constituencies will vote in the seventh round of the polling.