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Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday described the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections as largely peaceful.
Expressing confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) performance, he said that his party is poised to win at least 100 of the 152 seats contested in this phase. The Union Minister also thanked voters for their strong turnout and participation in the democratic process. Speaking to ANI, Majumdar said, "Overall, the elections have been peaceful, with only minor incidents occurring. The BJP is set to secure at least 100 seats out of 152. I would like to thank the people of Bengal for properly exercising their democratic rights. A large number of people came out to vote, which is a good sign." Earlier in the day, Sukanta Majumdar cast his vote at a polling station in Balurghat during the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, describing the polling process as peaceful and urging citizens to participate in large numbers. After casting his vote, Majumdar said voting was being conducted smoothly across constituencies. "I have cast my vote this morning. Voting is taking place peacefully. I congratulate the Election Commission for this. I appeal to people to come and vote," he said. He further appreciated the Election Commission's role in monitoring the electoral process but suggested increased vigilance in certain areas. Meanwhile, the first phase of polling in West Bengal officially concluded amid tight security arrangements across constituencies. At the Sersa Stadium polling booth in Kharagpur, polling activity came to a complete halt with no voters remaining in the queue by the end of voting hours. The main gate of the polling station was subsequently closed, marking the end of the day's electoral process. The voter turnout surged to remarkable levels, with West Bengal recording a significantly higher voter turnout of 91.91 per cent, according to the Election Commission. Several districts in West Bengal recorded over 90 per cent voter turnout. Dakshin Dinajpur led with 94.85%, followed by Cooch Behar at 94.54%, Birbhum at 93.70%, Jalpaiguri at 93.23%, and Murshidabad at 92.93%. The figures reflect consistently high voter participation across the state, with all major districts comfortably staying above the 90% mark. In the 2021 Assembly elections, West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 85.2 per cent while Tamil Nadu recorded 76.6 per cent. The numbers reflect an overwhelming voter turnout across districts, reinforcing both states' consistent trend of high electoral participation. Polling in the remaining 142 constituencies in West Bengal is slated for May 29, and counting of votes will take place on May 4. (ANI)
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