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West Bengal Minister and TMC candidate from Dum Dum Uttar Assembly constituency, Chandrima Bhattacharya, cast her vote at polling booth number 126 in Dakshin Calcutta Arya Vidyalaya in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Speaking to voters, Bhattacharya alleged that the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) had malfunctioned at the polling booth. "I have exercised my democratic right today. The EVM had malfunctioned here. Hence, voting is taking place at a slower pace now," the TMC leader said. Chandrima Bhattacharya is a two-time MLA from the Dum Dum Uttar seat. In the last elections, she defeated BJP candidate Archana Majumdar by a margin of 28,499 (13.5 per cent) votes. She is pitted against BJP's Sourav Sikdar and CPI(M)'s Dipsita Dhar. Meanwhile, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya exuded confidence in the BJP's victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, saying that the TMC's "mafia raj" is on its way out. The second phase of the polling is widely seen as the 'litmus test' for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as voting moves into the party's traditional fortresses in South Bengal and Kolkata. The second phase covers 142 out of 294 seats in West Bengal. The total electorate is around 3.21 crore, with 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 transgender voters. 1,448 candidates are in the fray, including 220 women at 41,001 polling stations, with over 8,000 managed entirely by women. While 142 seats are up for grabs, all eyes are on the 'Big Five' urban contests. Apart from the high-stakes seat of Bhabanipur, Tollyganj, the heart of the Bengali film industry, is a high-profile, star-studded battle. In the 2021 elections, the TMC dominated this specific belt, winning 123 of these 142 seats. For the BJP, this phase is about making inroads into the urban "bhadralok" vote and the Matua community. For the TMC, it is about holding the line to ensure a fourth consecutive term for Mamata Banerjee. Maurya told ANI, "Delhi has been freed from AAP's sins. Uttar Pradesh has been freed from Akhilesh Yadav's 'jungle raj', 'goonda raj', and in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav's 'goonda raj' could not make a comeback. Now, 'mafia raj' is also on its way out from West Bengal." Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said, "Today, voting is underway in West Bengal. The BJP is advancing towards victory with a massive majority. Rising above caste, religion, and sect, people are endorsing PM Modi's policies. The lotus is blooming. I appeal to the people of West Bengal that everyone should come out of their homes and step forward to vote." The counting of votes will take place on May 4. (ANI)
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