West Bengal election phase 5 kicks off; Modi and Shah to campaign

The fifth phase of West Bengal assembly polls kicked off on Saturday morning with around 16% of voters turning out to cast their votes till 9 am

The fifth phase of West Bengal assembly polls kicked off on Saturday morning with around 16% of voters turning out to cast their votes till 9 am. Clashes broke out between two groups at Sukantanagar in Bidhannagar near Kolkata. Locals, including women, could be seen fighting with each other and hurling bricks. At least six to seven persons were injured, police said.

South 24 Parganas: Security personnel stand guard at a polling station during the 5th phase of West Bengal state assembly pollson Saturday. (PTI)

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah are scheduled to hold back-to-back public rallies and roadshows.

“While Modi would hold two public rallies one each in south Bengal and north Bengal, Shah would hold two public rallies and a roadshow in three districts of south Bengal,” said a BJP leader.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee too would hold three rallies in south Bengal during the day.

Elections are being held in 45 constituencies spread over six districts of Bengal since Saturday morning.

The voter turnouts in the districts were Jalpaiguri 18.6%, Kalimpong 14%, Darjeeling 14.7%, Nadia 16%, North 24 Parganas 15.1% and Purba Bardhaman 16%.

“Some sporadic incidents of violence were reported. Central forces and observers were on the ground. Whenever we get any information, we pass it on to the quick response teams and they reach the spot,” said a poll official.

There were reports of bombs hurled in a BJP booth-level leader’s house early on Saturday. There were also reports of stray incidents of violence at Shantipur, Dhupguri, Ranaghat among others.

Abhijit Samanta, a BJP polling agent at Kamarhati in North 24 Parganas, fell ill while polls were going on and died on his way to the hospital.