Dip in turnout, more polling booths: Voting under the shadow of Covid-19
Dip in turnout, more polling booths: Voting under the shadow of Covid-19
The polling in phase 5 of the West Bengal Assembly election 2021 is being held today on 45 of 294 constituencies, amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the state and country.
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UPDATED: April 17, 2021 20:24 IST
The elections in Bengal come amid a surge of Covid-19 cases across the nation as well as in Bengal (Picture Credits: PTI)
Amid the raging pandemic, West Bengal today is polling on 45 seats in its crucial fifth phase. And this will take the total seats already voted to 180 in a 294-member assembly. After today’s phase, the momentum is likely to have settled in favour of one party, and the gap between the perceived winner and loser is likely to increase.
Fact Check: This CISF officer was not injured in poll violence in West Bengal’s Sitalkuchi
Fact Check: This CISF officer was not injured in poll violence in West Bengal’s Sitalkuchi
A picture of an injured CISF officer has gone viral on social media, with the claim that he was attacked by Trinamool goons during the poll violence in Sitalkuchi, West Bengal s Cooch Behar district, during the fourth phase of voting on April 10.
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Viral picture of the injured CISF jawan (Picture Credits: India Today)
The incident led to a war of words with the Trinamool Congress alleging that the deceased were their supporters and the BJP accusing the ruling party of instigating violence. Several BJP leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari, Arjun Singh and Saumitra Khan tweeted a picture of an injured CISF man, claiming he was attacked by Trinamool goons during the poll violence. Some of them have later deleted their posts.
West Bengal is experiencing one of the most polarised elections in its history, with the BJP vying for minority votes and the Trinamool appealing to Bengali sentiment.