Elections 2021 Highlights: BJP not to hold big public meetings in Bengal any further amid Covid surge

Amid the steep rise in COVID-19 cases in West Bengal, the Congress on Monday urged the Election Commission (EC) to defer the last three phases of assembly polls in the state.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked him to take a call on what was more important at this juncture — lives of people or polls to choose their representatives.

“I plead that election, if at all is to be done, should be after 'Ramjan' (Ramadan) is over and the present pandemic is diluted," the senior Congress leader said, reminding the CEC that two candidates in Bengal have died after contracting COVID-19.

Pradip Kumar Nandi, the Revolutionary Socialist Party candidate from Jangipur, and Rezaul Haque, the Congress nominee from Samserganj, succumbed to the infection last week. (PTI)

Twenty-six per cent of the 284 candidates contesting in the phase seven of the West Bengal Assembly polls this year have declared criminal cases against themselves, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms stated.

The West Bengal Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 284 candidates from 36 constituencies contesting in the polls to be held on April 26.

"Out of 284 candidates analysed, 73 (26 per cent) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. About 60 (21 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves," the poll rights body said.

Among the major parties, 9 (69 per cent) out of 13 candidates analysed from the CPI(M), 19 (53 per cent) out of 36 candidates analysed from the AITC, 19 (53 per cent) out of 36 candidates analysed from the BJP and 9 (47per cent) out of 19 candidates analysed from the Congress have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

Among the major parties, 7(54 per cent) out of 13 candidates analysed from the CPI(M), 16(44 per cent) out of 36 candidates analysed from the BJP, 14(39 per cent) out of 36 candidates analysed from the AITC and 7(37 per cent) out of 19 candidates analysed from the Congress have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits. (PTI)

Curtains came down on Monday evening on the campaigning for 43 assembly constituencies of West Bengal which will go to polls on April 22 in the sixth phase of elections.

In view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state, the Election Commission (EC) has extended the silence period from 48 hours to 72 hours in each of the remaining three phases of the assembly polls to be held on April 22, 26 and 29.

Polling will be held between 7 am and 6.30 pm at 14,480 polling stations in 17 constituencies in North 24 Parganas district, nine each in Nadia and Uttar Dinajpur districts and eight in Purba Bardhaman district.

Altogether 306 contestants including the BJP's national vice president Mukul Roy, senior TMC leaders and ministers Jyotipriya Mallick and Chandrima Bhattacharya, and CPI(M) leader Tanmay Bhattacharya are in the fray.

The political fate of film director Raj Chakraborty and actress Koushani Mukherjee, who were fielded by the Trinamool Congress, will also be sealed in this phase of the election. (PTI)

BJP has said that it would not hold big public meetings in West Bengal any further, the PTI reported. The party said it has decided to stop big public events in West Bengal as it is much needed to break the chain of Covid infections. It has been decided that only small public meetings with not more than 500 people will be held by PM Narendra Modi and other central ministers, the party stated. All these public meetings will be held in open spaces following Covid guidelines, it added. (PTI)

Bengal should not be a party to the 'national degeneration' by choosing to be governed by central leaders instead of the local ones as that would strengthen the concentration of power in the hands of those whose record on economic policy and social justice are 'seriously defective', Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said.

Lauding the Mamata Banerjee government for its welfare programmes, especially the ones meant for girls, the beneficial expansion of rural infrastructure and assurance of food security, the renowned economist, however, stressed that corruption issues in the state have to be addressed.

In an interview with PTI, Sen rued the fact that identity politics has reared its ugly head in Bengal's political landscape and blamed the flag-bearers of Hindutva for sharpening the communal divisions, something that Bengali luminaries — from Rabindranath Tagore to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose — had 'worked hard to replace with a peaceful understanding'.

'If Bengal ends up being governed by central rulers, not local leaders, it will vastly strengthen the concentration of power in India in the hands of those whose conception of minority rights is extremely limited and whose record on economic policy and social justice seems seriously defective,” he said.

"Bengal should not have to be a party to that national degeneration," Sen added when asked whether the outcome of the assembly elections will have a bearing on national politics. (PTI)

The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a plea seeking 100 per cent matching of the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips with the electronic voting machines (EVMs) vote count in the elections, saying it will not interfere in the middle of poll process.

“We are not going to interfere in the middle of election process,” a bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said.

The bench asked the counsel, appearing for petitioner Gopal Seth, as to whether they had made any representation to the Election Commission (EC) on this.

“Yes. They (EC) had appreciated our representation,” the counsel said, adding that free and fair election is a right of the people. He said the petitioner had earlier approached the Calcutta High Court on this issue.

The counsel argued the high court had said that the apex court had earlier passed order on this.

"The special leave petition is dismissed. As a sequel to the above, pending interlocutory applications, if any, stand disposed of," the bench said in its order.

In April 2019, the apex court had directed the EC to increase random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs to five polling booths per assembly segment in the Lok Sabha polls and said it would provide greater satisfaction not just to political parties but the entire electorate. (PTI)

Asserting that those involved in stealing funds meant for the people of West Bengal will be put behind bars, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed that the Trinamool Congress is speaking in different voices on the party's youth leader Vinay Mishra, who is being investigated by the CBI and the ED.

The two central agencies are probing Mishra in connection with cases related to cattle smuggling and illegal coal mining.

The Narendra Modi government is apprehending those who are stealing coal, Shah said at a public meeting at Pandabeswar in Paschim Bardhaman district.

He claimed that while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently asserted in a news channel that the TMC has nothing to do with Mishra, party MP Abhishek Banerjee said in another media outlet at the same time that he is being framed.

Mishra is a general secretary of the Trinamool Youth Congress, which is headed by Abhishek.

Shah said that Paschim Bardhaman district is well- known for theft of coal and "one Mishra" was recently arrested.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Vinay Mishra's brother Vikas in a money laundering case in connection with the illegal mining of coal. (PTI)

Election Commission has transferred four police officers with immediate effect and said that they should not be given any election-related posts. The transferred officers are Purba Bardhaman SP Bhaskar Mukerji, Asansol-Durgapur CP Sukesh Jain, Birbhum SP Miraj Khalid and Bilour, Birbhum SDPO Abhishek Roy.

#WestBengalElections2021 | Election Commission of India transfers four police officers pic.twitter.com/gE5Of2WSuK

— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2021

Ashok Lahiri, former chief economic advisor under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments, who has now been fielded by the BJP as a candidate from the Balurghat Assembly seat in the West Bengal elections, tells The Indian Express why he joined the saffron party and what plans he has for Bengal’s economy. Read the full interview here

A BJP candidate's house was attacked with crude bombs in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, police said on Monday. The house of Sanmoy Bandopadhyay, BJP's Panihati candidate, was attacked late on Sunday, they said.

The incident happened in the Khardaha police station area where Bandopadhyay lives, they added.

A person was arrested in connection with the incident, a senior officer of the Barrackpore Police said. There was no report of any injury to anyone, he said. Further investigations are underway, he added. (PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the Election Commission to re-consider its decision to stick to the original poll schedule, as she stressed that wrapping up the last three phases of polls on a single day or at least in two days would check the spread of COVID-19 to a certain extent.

Indicating that the EC may have decided against clubbing the remaining phases at the behest of the BJP, Banerjee, while addressing her rally here in Uttar Dinajpur, requested the poll panel to prioritise public health.

“With folded hands, I request the EC to hold the next three phases on a single day. If not one day, conduct it in two days and save one day. Please don't take your decision based on what the BJP says... Please ensure that you protect public health by curtailing the poll schedule, even if it is by one day,” the TMC supremo said. (PTI)

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Monday mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for suspending his election rallies in West Bengal amid spurting COVID-19 cases, calling it an "alibi" in the face of defeat.

The Union law and IT minister also attacked the Mamata Banerjee government, calling it an embodiment of "misrule, corruption and (Muslim) appeasement".

"It's an alibi as the captain found his ship sinking," Prasad told a press conference while referring to Gandhi's decision to stay away from electioneering in West Bengal due to the second wave of the COVID-19.

As concerns mounted over massive election rallies turning out to be superspreader events contributing to the COVID-19 surge, Prasad said the Centre was doing everything to tackle the contagion.

"The TMC is saying a lot of things about COVID management. Did Mamata ji attend the meetings of all the chief ministers with the Prime Minister on COVID? The answer is no," he said. (PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she has sought help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for additional vaccines and medicines in the wake of spiraling COVID-19 cases in the state.She also said the state government will spell out measures to deal with the second wave of the pandemic later in the day.

"With the massive surge in #COVID19 cases across India, GoWB is taking all necessary steps to protect its people. I've reached out (to) the PM to help us with additional medicines and vaccines required," Banerjee tweeted.

With the massive surge in #COVID19 cases across India, GoWB is taking all necessary steps to protect its people. I've reached out the PM to help us with additional medicines and vaccines required. (1/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 19, 2021

Addressing a rally in Bengal, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that the Prime Minister is responsible for the "skyrocketing" of covid-19 cases in the country and therefore "he must resign.” “He is the man who is responsible. No planning, no administrative capabilities, complete inefficiency. Neither did he plan ahead, nor did he allow anyone to do so,” Mamata said.

"For the skyrocketing COVID-19 cases, HE MUST RESIGN. He is the man who is responsible. No planning, no administrative capabilities, complete inefficiency. Neither did he plan ahead, nor did he allow anyone to do so."
- @MamataOfficial #ResignModi pic.twitter.com/AlCxltb8gz

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 19, 2021

At the heart of Kolkata lies a bundle of contradictions. On tracks that cut through tarred roads, trams trundle unhurriedly. Around them, the whirl of new money and luxury vehicles, speeding along roads that are one-way at one time, another way the next. Large bungalows and gleaming glass edifices sit next door to heritage homes, their columns and rafters exquisite and crumbling. Come this election, Kolkata, that bastion of Bengali exceptionalism, has a similarly convoluted choice to make.

Of going back to the Left that has a very little chance of winning the election, of sticking to the TMC that swept the city, is very much Bengali but not quite bhadralok, or the rising BJP that promises jobs and vikas but comes with its own unique trappings.

On an afternoon this week, the gates of Presidency College are firmly shut with three guards staring at their phones. On the wall are two posters, one denounces the “corporatization of Presidency College”, another proclaims “Lohia raj nahi chalega.” The pandemic means many such colleges are shut but on College Street, most of the book shops are doing brisk business. “Kon boi chai” (Which book do you want?) is the question you are asked. (Read Dipankar Ghose's report here)

Continuing his campaign trail for Bengal elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday is scheduled to conduct rallies in Pandaveswar at 11 am, Chakulia at 1:30 pm, Kaliaganj at 2:45 and a roadshow in Balurghat at 4pm.

With West Bengal reeling under the pressure of tackling the second wave of the novel coronavirus, TMC MP Derek O’Brien, late on Sunday, announced that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not be campaigning in Kolkata anymore.

“On April 26, she will only hold a symbolic meeting on the last day of campaigning in the state capital. Besides this, the Chief Minister has also decided to hold rallies for not more than 30 minutes in other districts as well,” the senior TMC leader said.

Mamata Banerjee will NOT campaign in Kolkata anymore. Only one ‘symbolic’ meeting on the last day of campaigning in the city on April 26.
Slashes time for all her election rallies in all districts. Restricted to just 30 minutes. #BengalElection2021 #Covid

— Derek O'Brien | ????? ?'???????? (@derekobrienmp) April 18, 2021

With India grappling with the second wave of Covid-19, many state governments have clamped stringent guidelines in recent days restricting political and social gatherings.

According to the data by Union Health Ministry, the Covid curve in the country registered started showing an upward trend from March 15 onwards in most states, including all the poll-bound states. Notably, mass political rallies and roadshows were held in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry where voting for the Assembly polls concluded on April 6. In addition, four more phases of polls are yet to be conducted in West Bengal and, unsurprisingly, the political campaigning in the state is in full swing. (Read more here)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation for "mishandling" of the COVID-19 second wave and alleged that the Prime Minister failed in planning to contain the rise in the number of infections.

Asserting that PM Modi did little to address the possible crisis in the supply of medical oxygen and vaccines in the five-six months when the virus had lost its sting before its resurgence this year, Banerjee accused Modi of exporting vaccines to other countries to boost his image in the international arena while there was a scarcity in his own nation.

“For the rise in COVID-19 cases, PM Modi has to resign. He is the man responsible for the present situation. He did not make any administrative planning for 2021. And look at the situation in Gujarat,” she said.

She added, “The BJP cannot tackle the COVID-19 spike even in Gujarat, and has brought the entire country, including West Bengal, to such a pass.” (PTI)

Post-poll violence has allegedly taken place in Dabgram-Phulbari assembly constituency in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, with both the TMC and the BJP claiming that its members were attacked by activists of the rival party.

The alleged incidents happened in Porajhar village in Phulbari I gram panchayat on Saturday night after voting took place in the fifth phase of the assembly elections in the state.

As per an FIR lodged by BJP candidate Sikha Chatterjee with New Jalpaiguri police station on Sunday, TMC "goons" thrashed two members of the saffron party and molested the women in their houses.

BJP members staged a demonstration outside the police station in protest against the alleged incident.

On the other hand, TMC candidate and state minister Goutam Deb alleged that BJP workers hurled stones on a ruling party worker's house and Chatterjee visited the village on Sunday and "terrorised" the residents, including women. (PTI)

The Election Commission on Sunday imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on BJP leader Sayantan Basu and Sujata Mondal of the Trinamool Congress for their controversial remarks during the ongoing assembly polls in West Bengal.

The bar on campaigning by the leaders will be in force from 7 PM on April 18 to 7 PM on April 19.

In an order, the poll panel said it had carefully considered Mondal's reply to it notice which does not justify the relevant portions of her statement "denigrating the Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal".

"Now, therefore, the Commission hereby sternly warns Sujata Mondal and advises her to desist from using such statement while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force," according to the order.

Basu was issued a notice for his remarks that "if you kill one we will kill four of you..."

The order on Basu said the Commission "sternly warns and condemns Sayantan Basu and strongly advised him to desist from using such statement while making public utterances during the period when the Model Code of Conduct is in force."

Besides warning the leaders against making such statements, the poll panel imposed a ban on campaigning by them. (PTI)

While campaigning in Bengal’s Swarupnagar, Amit Shah says, “Didi is saying she will not let CAA be implemented in the state. But after the BJP government comes to power, it will ensure that CAA comes into effect. We will ensure that all refugees who are eligible are accorded citizenship under the Act.” (ANI)

???? ???? ???, ?? CAA ???? ??? ?????? ??? ????, ??? ???? CAA ??????? 2 ????? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ??, ???? ??? CAA ??? ???? ??? 2 ?? ?? BJP ????? ??? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ?? ??? BJP ?????: ?????? ????? ?? ????????? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ??? pic.twitter.com/GpRyhscnXo

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 18, 2021

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said BJP leaders "from Delhi" who are bringing "outsiders" for campaigning, without COVID-19 tests, are responsible for the spike in coronavirus cases in the state.

The Trinamool Congress supremo also blamed the Election Commission (EC) for curtailing her campaigning time, for the ongoing assembly polls, by five days while turning a blind eye to her plea to club the last three phases of the polls in the wake of the surge in coronavirus cases.

"Leaders from Delhi are bringing in outsiders infected with the virus during campaigning without bothering to conduct COVID-19 tests. I am not saying being infected with the virus is a crime. But the reckless act of the BJP has triggered the sudden rise in the number of coronavirus cases in recent times," the chief minister said.

Claiming that a BJP candidate in Howrah district went on campaigning despite being infected by the virus, Banerjee asked, "Why couldn't he sit at home and desist from campaigning?" (PTI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that the BJP will bag more than 122 of the 180 seats that went to polls in West Bengal in five phases.

Shah, while addressing a rally in Purba Bardhaman district, claimed that Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will have to make an exit after losing the Nandigram seat to the BJP.

"Didi looks demoralised after five phases of elections as it has been established that the BJP, with more than 122 seats, is much ahead of her. Take it from me, Suvendu Adhikari (BJP candidate) will win the elections from Nandigram," he stated.

The home minister further said that Banerjee should be bidden farewell with a huge defeat, one befitting her stature.

The body of a BJP member was found at Chakdah in West Bengal's Nadia district in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

After the body of Dilip Kirtania (31) was found, BJP activists in the area started protest demonstrations staging roadblocks alleging that he was murdered by miscreants belonging to the rival TMC, the police said.

Kirtania's family members alleged that he had gone out in the night to attend to nature's call, but did not return home, police said quoting the complaint lodged.

“As he did not return home for a long time they started a search and found him lying injured a few metres away from his residence. Doctors declared him brought dead when he was rushed to Chakdah state General hospital. He had several injuries in his private parts," a police officer added.

BJP party activists started protests as the news of Kirtania's death spread in the area. (PTI)

TMC MLA Shovandeb Chattopadhyay on Sunday announced to cancel elections rallies due to the ongoing virus surge in the nation. Taking to Twitter, Chattopadhyay said,  "With the rise of Covid cases, I have decided not to hold any Central Rally in Bhawanipur AC for upcoming Election Campaign, which I have always held in previous elections. Requesting everyone to Wear Mask & stay safe. 

With the rise of Covid cases, I have decided not to hold any Central Rally in Bhawanipur AC for upcoming Election Campaign, which I have always held in previous elections. Requesting everyone to Wear Mask & stay safe.

— MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay (@SobhandebChatt1) April 17, 2021

Ali Imran Ramz is a three-time Forward Block MLA from Chakulia assembly seat in North Dinajpur. In an exclusive interview to indianexpress.com, Ramz, who is again fighting from the seat, speaks about the future of the Left, Mamata’s “appeasement” politics and emergence of the BJP as a political force in West Bengal. (Read the interview by Wali Ahmad here)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a roadshow in Nadia district in West Bengal on Sunday.

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah holds a roadshow in Nadia district, ahead of 6th phase of West Bengal Assembly elections#WestBengalPolls pic.twitter.com/Jq3kAEethT

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2021

Addressing a rally in West Bengal on Sunday Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Mamata Banerjee of having “no agenda for the development of Bengal.” Shah went on to say that “ Didi spends 12 minutes in Bengal and spends 10 minutes abusing Modi and me, two minutes cursing the security forces.”

Addressing a rally in Purbasthali Uttar, West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that only the BJP can work in preventing infiltration in the state and restore the “disturbed” law and order. In his speech, Shah said that “Law and order in Bengal is disturbed. Only the BJP can do the work of preventing infiltration and no one can.”

Targeting Bengal Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee over an audio clip of a conversation purportedly between Banerjee and the TMC candidate in Sitalkuchi, Amit Shah on Sunday said that she should be ashamed of "doing politics even with dead people." The TMC claimed that the BJP had distorted the contents of the clip to spread lies.

Addressing a rally in Purbasthali Uttar, West Bengal on Sunday Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted Bengal Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee by saying that she has started a new model of governance that includes “bombs, guns and explosives” Shah highlighted that the BJP wants to change this and bring governance of “development, trust, and industry.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that he will be suspending all public rallies in West Bengal due to the country's ongoing Covid-19 situation. Gandhi also urged all political leaders to think about the consequences of holding large public rallies under the current virus threat. 

In view of the Covid situation, I am suspending all my public rallies in West Bengal.

I would advise all political leaders to think deeply about the consequences of holding large public rallies under the current circumstances.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 18, 2021

Reacting to the alleged TMC attack on his party workers in the Sainthia constituency, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said that it was the habbit of Trinamool to engage in such things. "There's no one with TMC, besides goons, Adhikari said.

Following an attack on BJP workers, allegedly by TMC workers, a few party workers from the Sainthia constituency held protests outside a police station Saturday night. The protestors, including BJP candidate from Sainthia, Priya Saha said that they would not move until police takes due action against the perpetrators.

West Bengal: The convoy of Priya Saha, BJP candidate from Sainthia, was allegedly attacked by TMC workers, earlier today.

She says," TMC miscreants attacked my convoy, bombs were hurled at our workers." pic.twitter.com/E9YfuBPO1l

— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2021