West Bengal

Nandigram/Kolkata, Apr 1 (PTI) Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for 30 constituencies, including the high-profile Nandigram seat, in the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections amid tight security, officials said.

Voting is underway with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in nine seats each in Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts, eight in Bankura and four in South 24 Parganas.

Long queues were seen outside polling stations, where voting will continue till 6.30 pm.

Nandigram (WB), Apr 1 (PTI) A BJP worker was found hanging at his home in Nandigram in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district on Thursday, triggering tension in the area amid the high-profile election here, police said.

Uday Dubey was found hanging at his home in the Bhekutia area of Nandigram in the morning, they said.

Dubey was under tremendous stress as he was receiving threats from the TMC after he attended a roadshow of superstar Mithun Chakraborty who campaigned in the area in support of BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari on March 30, BJP leaders alleged.

Keshpur (WB), Apr 1 (PTI) BJP candidate from Keshpur assembly constituency Tanmay Ghosh's vehicle was on Thursday vandalised allegedly by supporters of the Trinamool Congress, police said.

Three persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, they said.

An unidentified group of people attacked Ghosh's vehicle with bricks and bamboo sticks, and also vandalised cars of media personnel, a police officer said.

A team of central forces have reached the spot, an Election Commission official said.

Nandigram (WB), Mar 31 (PTI) The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in Nandigram assembly constituency in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district, a day ahead of the high- stakes elections here, a senior official said.

Besides, the EC has also started air surveillance in the area with the help of a helicopter, he said.

People who are not voters of Nandigram are not being allowed to enter the constituency in view of the sensitivity, he added.

New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) The TMC has written to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Bangladesh violated the model code of conduct in place for the West Bengal Assembly polls and some of his programmes there "intended to influence the voting pattern" in certain constituencies of the state.

The letter dated March 28 was released by the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday.

Nandigram (WB), Mar 29 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday conducted a massive roadshow in Nandigram, where she is pitted against her former lieutenant and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.

The high-stakes constituency in Purba Medinipur district will go to the polls in the second phase on April 1.

Accompanied by senior TMC leaders, Banerjee led the 8 -km-long roadshow from Reyapara Khudiram More to Thakurchowk in her wheelchair, greeting people with folded hands.

Kolkata, Mar 26 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress on Friday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission accusing the BJP of providing shelter to miscreants in parts of West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district to create violence on polling days.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien and Lok Sabha MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar told reporters they have several reports about "miscreants being brought to Purba Medinipur from neighbouring districts and Kolkata ahead of the polls".

Danton (WB), Mar 25 (PTI) TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday charged the BJP with interfering in the functioning of Election Commission.

The chief minister expressed strong reservations over the large-scale transfer of senior government officials by the EC in last few days.

"The way BJP is interfering in the functioning of EC, it appears to be a BJP commission," Banerjee said at a public meeting at Danton. She said she learnt of the transfers while riding a helicopter from Sagar island to Danton.

Kolkata, Mar 25 (PTI) Curtains came down at 5 pm Thursday on the high decibel campaign in 30 assembly seats in West Bengal where polls are scheduled in the first phase on March 27.

The 30 seats are spread across tribal-dominated Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Purba Medinipur (Part 1) and Paschim Medinipur (Part 1) districts which were once considered the citadel of the Left in the state.

Kolkata, Mar 24 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's asset value has decreased by 45.08 per cent now compared to what it was during the 2016 assembly elections.

Banerjee, who is contesting this year's assembly election from Nandigram, has in her affidavit which was submitted along with her nomination to the Election Commission declared her total worth to be Rs 16,72,352.