Final phase voting in Assembly election begins in West Bengal

Amid the huge surge of fresh coronavirus in West Bengal, final phase of Assembly election began on Thursday morning at 7 am. The voting will decide fate of 285 candidates spread across total 35 constituencies, including Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum and north Kolkata – 11 each in Murshidabad and Birbhum, six in Malda and seven in north Kolkata.

Reports came in of a bomb being hurled in north Kolkata outside Mahajati Sadan on Thursday. Meena Devi Purohit, BJP candidate from Jarasanko said that the bomb was aimed at her car but nobody was injured in the incident. Purohit said, “They tried to kill me. It is a ploy to scare the voters.” 

Till 9:30 am a total of 16.04% voter turnout was recorded. During this phase a total of 84 lakh voters will cast their votes at 11,860 polling stations. The prime focus is at key constituencies of Beleghata, Jorsanko, Maniktala, Shyampukur and Kashipur-Belgachia which has TMC and BJP in neck to neck competition. 

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The state recorded spike of fresh Covid-19 cases. West Bengal state recorded 17,207 cases on Wednesday, the highest spike till date. State’s health department said that toll thus stands at 7,93,552 with death toll at 11,159. 

Isolated incidents of violence were reported from various areas currently underway eighth and last phase of Assembly elections in the state. But overall the polling is going on smoothly. Till 11 am voter turnout was 37.80%. 

West Bengal Governor Jagdish Mukhi and his wife Sudesh Dhankhar voted at a polling booth in Chowringhee, Kolkata, on Thursday. “Election is the greatest festival in democracy and we both have voted. Covid protocols are being followed 100%. I’m very happy with the arrangements. Excellent work being done by the EC and CAPF. Democracy is powered only by your votes. Anyone who doesn’t vote loses the right to grievance,” the Governor said.