Campaign Ends For Sixth And Final Phase Polls

Kolkata: On Tuesday, campaigning for the sixth and the last phase of West Bengal Assembly election covering 25 Constituencies in East Midnapore and Cooch Behar districts came to an end. The sixth and final phase will take place on May 5.

In all, 170 candidates, including 18 women, are contesting trying to woo over 58 lakh voters. For the first time since Independence, residents of border enclaves in Cooch Behar district will be able to exercise their franchise, thanks to the formal inclusion of the enclaves in the Indian territory last year. There are 9,776 voters in the enclave. Altogether 6,774 polling stations have been set up where voting will be held from 7 AM to 6 PM on May 5.

All eyes will be on Nandigram in East Midnapore district where a violent anti-land acquisition movement had helped uproot the 34-year-long Left Front government. Trinamool Congress (TMC) won all 16 seats in East Midnapore district in 2011.

Chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had alleged that a section of police officials had “unleashed terror” on people at the behest of the Election Commission. She even warned them of “consequences” if she is voted to power again.

The poll panel has already taken a note of her statement made at a rally in Chandipur and is examining the contents of her speech.

State Congress chief Adhir Choudhury said the state needed another ‘privartan’ (change) as “nothing happened except making false claims, tall talks on cinema and stage plays” in the last five years.