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Economic Times | 01 Apr, 2021 | 08.30AM IST
West Bengal, Assam Elections 2021 Live: Voters queue up early in Nandigram
Second phase of polling has begun in 30 seats of West Bengal and 39 seats of Assam today. WB CM Mamata Banerjee is contesting from Nandigram.
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TMC worker stabbed to death in Bengal's Keshpur
A TMC worker was allegedly stabbed to death in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district in the early hours. PTI reports that Uttam Dolui, 48, was at a local club in Hariharpur in the district's Keshpur area along with a few others when around 10-15 people allegedly attacked him. Dolui's family alleged that BJP "goons" attacked him to create tension in the area, BJP has dismissed the allegations
Requesting all eligible voters of this phase to strengthen the festival of democracy by exercising their franchise.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
I appeal to people to come out in large numbers to cast their vote as the whole country is looking at Nandigram. People are waiting to see if development or politics of appeasement will win here.
- Suvendu Adhikari, BJP candidate
345 candidates in the fray today in Assam
- In Assam around 345 candidates are in the fray for the 39 seats in the second phase
- Areas going to polls are across central Assam, two hill districts, some parts of Bodoland territorial council and the entire Barak valley.
- Today's ballot will decide the fate of four ministers and the Assam assembly deputy speaker
- BJP is contesting 34 seats in this phase and allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is contesting six and UPPL three
- The Congress is contesting in 27 seats and its allies AIUDF in eight and BPF in four
Tight security at polling booths
The polling booth where BJP candidate in Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari, will vote
Assam 2nd Phase: All you need to know
West Bengal 2nd Phase: All you need to know
TMC won 23 out of 30 in 2016
- Of the 30 seats voting today, 23 were won by TMC in the 2016 assembly elections and five by Left Front; Congress and BJP won one each.
- Even during the BJP surge of 2019, TMC maintained its dominance in South 24 Parganas district
TMC, BJP contesting all 30 seats today
- Trinamool Congress and BJP are contesting all 30 seats going to the polls today in West Bengal
- Among the constituents of Sanyukta Morcha, CPI-M is contesting 15 seats, Congress 9, AIFB 2 and CPI 2.
- Bankura has the highest, 11, candidates; and Keshpur has the least, three, candidates
Long queues outside some Nandigram booths
Voters queue outside polling booth number 110 in Nandigram, as the second phase of voting for Assembly elections gets underway ( ANI)
Voters queue up early at some booths
Polling at a booth in Bankura in the second phase of voting for Assembly elections (ANI)
Suvendu Adhikari: Lieutenant who turned bitter foe
- Suvendu Adhikari quit the Trinamool Congress after playing an important part in it for almost two decades, and joined the BJP in December last year.
- Adhikari apparently felt sidelined with the rise of Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek and some organisational changes
- Adhikari resigned as transport minister before leaving the Trinamool Congress
- He played a key role in the TMC's 2007 anti-land acquisition protest in Nandigram as the ground-level strategist
- Adhikari first entered West Bengal Assembly in 2006, and won the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and in 2014. In 2016, he won from Nandigram
Second phase of voting for Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam begins
Fate of four Assam ministers to be decided today
Today's ballot will decide the fate of four ministers and the assembly deputy speaker in Assam. Areas going to polls are spread across central Assam, two hill districts, some parts of Bodoland territorial council and the entire Barak valley.
1 cricketer, 3 actors in the fray
- Cricketer Ashok Dinda is pitted against Sangram Kumar Dolai, a sitting MLA. Dinda in 2016 had won the Tamluk seat for CPI by a slender margin
- Actors Soham Chakraborty and Sayantika Banerjee are contesting for Chandipur and Bankura respectively from TMC
- Actor Hiranmoy Chattopadhyay is the BJP candidate from Kharagpur Sadar, one of the three seats BJP won in 2016
Nandigram ready for big contest
Preparations from a polling station at Reapara, Nandigram ahead of voting today ( ANI)
