Kolkata, April 23: Polling for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections commenced on Thursday morning. Voters are casting their ballots across 152 seats, with the voting process set to continue until 6 PM. Strict security measures have been implemented at all polling stations to ensure fair and peaceful elections. The primary contest is anticipated to be between Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Suvendu Adhikari, the BJP candidate from Nandigram and Bhawanipur, spoke to the media, stating, “I have communicated with all polling agents in my area. Voting should proceed peacefully. If deceased voters, fake voters, and infiltrators are not on the voter list, there is no chance for Mamata Banerjee to win.”
Humayun Kabir, president of the Aam Janata Uplift Party (AJUP), voted alongside his family. He emphasized that the Constitution grants every citizen the right to vote and that the Election Commission conducts elections fairly. He urged everyone to participate in the democratic process.
Regarding the first phase of voting, Kabir commented on his party’s position. He noted that after forming a new party, several voices were raised against him, but he received full support from his party. He mentioned that they fielded 142 candidates, of which 25-26 joined the TMC. Despite this, they still have 117 candidates contesting. He accused the TMC of selling tickets and luring away their candidates with money, asserting that the public will respond to this in the elections and that they are not anyone’s “B team.”
Asian Games gold medalist Swapna Barman also appealed for peaceful voting, stating that voting is a right of every citizen and that everyone should participate to form a strong government.
Meanwhile, a female voter highlighted the importance of issues like women’s safety and employment. She expressed concern that there have been no recruitments in her area over the past ten years.
Long queues of voters have been observed at polling stations across various parts of the state. Voting began early Thursday at the Deshbandhu District Library, where people eagerly exercised their voting rights.
In Siliguri and other regions, voters were seen waiting in line outside polling centers for their turn. Suvendu Adhikari reiterated his hope for peaceful voting and claimed that if there are no fake names on the voter list, TMC’s victory is unlikely.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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