West Bengal elections 2021 LIVE UPDATES: Phase 1 ends; final voter turnout at 79.79%

Addressing a press conference, TMC MLA and Minister Subrata Mukherjee accused BJP of "tactfully" recording the telephonic conversation and releasing it in the media. Expressing pride that the WB CM made the phone call, he also highlighted that Paul didn't disrespect her request. At the same time, he expressed willingness for a proper investigation into the matter. While 47 seats went to the polls on Saturday in the first phase of the WB election, voting for 7 other phases is pending after which the results will be declared on May 2. 

TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee remarked, "Very tactfully they recorded and circulated in the press and highly planned. And we feel proud that Mamata Banerjee did it and even the boy he didn't disrespect it. And said I have switch my camp I cannot join back."

Final voter turnout:

Bengal - 79.79%

Assam - 72.46%

As Bengal's phase-1 polls get underway, BJP on Saturday has submitted an alleged tape of a conversation between CM Mamata Banerjee and BJP's Nandigram Vice-president Praloy Paul to Election Commission. In the tape, Banerjee is heard seeking Paul's help in Nandigram, while he refuses to leave Suvendu Adhikari's side. Banerjee and Adhikari's high-stake battle for Nandigram is scheduled for April 1. Polling is underway on 30 seats in Bengal across five districts - Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, West Medinipur and East Medinipur where 191 candidates are in poll fray.

Here is the alleged conversation between Roy and Mamata Banerjee:

Praloy Paul: "Tell me, Didi".

Mamata Banerjee: "You are a young man. I know you very well. Help us this time and there will be no problem."

Praloy Paul: "I and my family came into politics inspired by you. I held a rally, when you took oath as CM. I felt bad when I did not get the (district) president post."

Mamata Banerjee: "Who did that? Your local leader (Suvendu Adhikari), who did not allow us to visit Nandigram or enter Medinipur. You know everything, brother."

Praloy Paul: "Was it not possible for me to get a ticket?"

Mamata Banerjee: "Why do you think I am there? What happened with you was an injustice."

Praloy Paul: "I was beaten up by your Mahadev."

Mamata Banerjee: "I did not know earlier, now I am in Nandigram. So I am connecting with you."

Praloy Paul: "Didi, I am sorry I cannot do anything. I am going to remain in the party I am. No one can blame my family or me of corruption."

Mamata Banerjee: "You think everyone is honest now? Those who are with you in BJP, you think they are honest?"

Praloy Paul: "Didi, I only believe I am honest. I will be with my current party till they respect me and work honestly."

Mamata Banerjee: "You think your local leader is honest?"

Praloy Paul: "I can't talk on that. But when I was beaten by CPM, his family was with me. I have always supported their family. For more than 40 years, my father and Sisir babu have had good relations. How can I forget that?"

Mamata Banerjee: "We sent them. they worked under us. We fought against the CPM."

Praloy Paul: "Thank you Didi. For such a big leader to call me, but I cannot do anything for me."

Mamata Banerjee: "See what you can do. Thank you."

As per EC's Turnout out, Assam's voter turnout at 62.09%

As per EC's Turnout out, Bengal's voter turnout at 70.17%

55.76% voter turnout has been recorded so far until 3 pm in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections.

The BJP delegation led by Kailash Vijayavargiya complained to the Election Commission (EC) after a leaked audiotape allegedly featuring Mamata Banerjee came to light as the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections was underway. Speaking to the press after their meeting with the EC, Kailash Vijayvargiya informed that a list of criminals from Nandigram had been provided to the EC to ensure free and fair polls were conducted. Further, the BJP leader claimed that there were minimum rigging and violence in the first phase of the polls and called the ongoing elections 'the most peaceful poll in the state'.

Even as voting continued in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, BJP released an alleged audiotape wherein CM Mamata Banerjee reportedly asked the saffron party leader from Nandigram to extend his support to her for the polls. In what can be termed as a massive polling day controversy in West Bengal, BJP claimed that Mamata Banerjee had attempted to win over BJP's Nandigram vice-president Pralay Pal. However, the saffron party leader turned down Mamata Banerjee's request and reportedly said that he did not receive any respect in TMC, claimed BJP. According to BJP, Pralay Pal reportedly told Mamata Banerjee that he could not betray the Adhikaris and the BJP. 

In the latest development, TMC and BJP workers clashed in Nandigram even as voting was underway in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections. TMC alleged that 3 of its party workers were attacked by BJP cadre following which they were admitted to the hospital.

54.90% voter turnout has been recorded until 1.45 pm in the first phase off the West Bengal Assembly elections.

46.81% voter turnout has been recorded until 1 pm on Saturday as the first phase of polling in the West Bengal elections is underway. 

A TMC delegation led by Mala Roy and Sudip Banerjee pointed fingers at the discrepancy in the data provided by the Election Commission among other issues as the first phase of West Bengal elections was underway on Saturday. 

"Today we have visited CEO of EC. Polling agents have to be from the same locality, but BJP requested EC to send any person that the party decides. We request EC to change it from the 2nd phase election", Sudip Banerjee said after meeting EC. 

"First phase vote is over. We demand for deploying local people for booth agents. Then it will easy for all to track them. CEO assured us that they will take this note seriously", he added.

BJP leader Somendu Adhikari accused TMC block president Ram Govind Das and his wife of attacking him after he arrived at the polling booths after receiving information of them being involved in the rigging of polls. 

"Under the leadership of TMC block president Ram Govind Das and his wife poll rigging was underway at three polling booths. My arrival here created a problem for them to continue with their mischiefs so they attacked my car and thrashed my driver", Somendu Adhikari said.

A Congress delegation told the Election Commission that they were allegedly receiving complaints from various parts of Purulia and East Medinipur about miscreants asking voters not to go to the booth. The Congress delegation asked EC to visit the booths.

"It is really unfortunate that Susanta Ghosh was attacked by TMC goons. We strongly condemn this. Central force is not taking proper action. They absolutely fail to get the confidence of voters", the Congress de3legation said. 

36.09% voter turnout has been recorded so far until 12 pm in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections.

Even as voting was underway in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, sources informed that BJP leader Somendu Adhikari's car was allegedly vandalised by TMC workers in Dakshin Kathi.

"TMC knows that it is losing & that's why it is saying all this. For such complaints, TMC should go to the Election Commission. TMC & Mamata Banerjee are under pressure and that is why they are saying such things", said BJP West Bengal President Dilip Ghosh responding to TMC's claims on the rigging of polls. 

TMC MP Derek O Brien has written a letter to the EC demanding to know why there was a discrepancy in the voter turnout % within a span of five minutes and questioned the data provided by the EC. "Voter turnout for ACs Kanthi Dakshin (216)&Kanthi Uttar (213) at 9:13 am was 18.47%&18.95% respectively, 4 mins later at 9:17 am voter turnout reduced to 10.60%&9:40%. Such discrepancy raises a question on the genuineness of data issued by EC," he stated in his letter.

18.56 voter turnout was recorded until 11.15 am in the first phase of the West Bengal elections. 

Polling has been stopped at booth number 172 at Kanthi Assembly Mazma high madrasa at Purba Midnapore after complaints of EVM malfunctioning came in from several areas. As per reports, people were protesting outside a polling booth in Majla area of Dakshin Kanthi in Purba Midnapore alleging that the VVPAT showed BJP even if they are casting their vote for TMC. 

In the latest development, sources have informed that a BJP delegation led by Kailash Vijayabvargiya will meet the West Bengal EC at 2 pm. The BJP delegation's meeting with EC is scheduled to take place after a TMC parlimentary delegation will meet EC at 12 noon on Saturday.

The ruling TMC has now alleged that voters Kanthi Dakshin were displayed BJP's logo in the VVPAT machine despite voting for TMC and asked the EC to look into the 'shocking claim'.   

15.30% of votes have been recorded so far until 10.20 AM in the first phase of the West Bengal elections. 

A 10 member Trinamool Parliamentary (TMC) delegation led by Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien will meet Election Commission in Kolkata at 12 noon on Saturday. 

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar urged the people of Bengal to come out and vote fearlessly in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.  

The ruling TMC asked the Election Commission to explain the fall in voting percentage within minutes and shared screenshots of the voting percentage displayed on the Turnout app. 

7.72% polling has been recorded until 9 AM in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

• Bankura - 8.84%
• Jhargram - 4.62%
• West Midnapore - 7.94%
• East Midnapore - 13.84%
• Purulia - 13.97%

10 MPs of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) will visit State Election Commission at 12 noon to raise 'serious concerns, as per reports. TMC has alleged EVM malfunctioning in polling booths across Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and East Midnapore. Further, TMC has alleged that the BJP was using Central forces to influence people in Manjushree GP to vote for their party. TMC also accused BJP workers of entering the poll booths in many locations and misguiding voters and also accused the saffron party workers of mobilizing with CRPF. 

Two security personnel were injured in a firing incident at Satsatmal in Bhagwanpur constituency on Saturday morning before the voting commenced. BJP district president Anup Chakraborty alleged that attempts were being made to terrorise the people by those associated with TMC. 

BJP MP from Purulia, Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, cast his vote on Saturday in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections. 

BJP leader Somendu Adhikari alleged that voters were being stopped at booth number 149 as voting is underway in the first phase of the West Bengal elections. Providing an update on the polling process, Suvendu Adhikari's brother said that the overall process was being held peacefully barring EVM malfunctions at certain locations. 

In the latest development, CPI(M) candidate from Salboni, Sushanta Ghosh, was allegedly attacked by TMC workers, as per reports. Central forces have reached the spot at West Midnapore. As per reports, the CPI(M) candidate alleged that the polling agent was not allowed TMC workers following which he reached the spot and chaos broke out. 
 

BJP candidate from West Midnapore Samit Das casts his vote at a polling booth there in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections. He alleged TMC workers of attempting to influence voters at the polling booth and informed that he complained to the Election Commission (EC) on the same.

BJP National President JP Nadda has appealed to all voters to participate in the election process as voting for phase one of the West Bengal Assembly elections. He also reminded people to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

"I call upon the people of Bengal to exercise their democratic right by coming out and voting in large numbers": CM Mamata Banerjee tweets

As voting is underway in the first phase of the West Bengal elections, crude bombs were reportedly hurled at Pataspur, under Bhagwanpur Assembly Constituency injuring Officer-In-Charge Dipak Kumar Chakraborty along with a CISF jawan. The injured jawan was taken to Egra Super Specialist Hospital and was later referred to Kolkata state-run hospital. 

A total of 73,80,942 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections 2021. Of them, 37,52,938 are male and 36,27,949 female, while there are 55 third gender voters.

The high-stakes battle for Bengal begins on Saturday where 30 constituencies are up for grabs for the ruling Trinamool Congress, an emerging BJP and the Congress-Left-ISF alliance. The constituencies spread across tribal-dominated districts - Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, West Medinipur and East Medinipur has 191 candidates, including 21 women in poll fray. As per EC, 70 lakh voters spread across the 30 constituencies will vot tomorrow. Voting is set to begin at 7 AM and will continue till 6 PM.

Here are the seats in the poll fray:

Patashpur, Kanthi Uttar, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri, Kanthi Dakshin, Ramnagar, Egra, Dantan, Nayagram, Gopiballavpur, Jhargram, Keshiary, Kharagpur, Garbeta, Salboni, Medinipur, Binpur, Bandwan, Balarampur, Baghmundi, Joypur (236404), Purulia, Manbazar, Kashipur, Para, Raghunathpur, Saltora, Chhatna, Ranibandh and Raipur. As per EC, Bengal has 7.32 crore voters who will poll at  1,01,916 booths for the 294 seats. 

Jhargram: A TMC stronghold which had been vacant since TMC MLA Sukumar Hansda died in 2020, will see a face off between actor & TMC leader Birbaha Hansda against BJP's Sukhmoy Satpati. The constituency which is dominated by SC/ST communities - Santhals and Kurmis is being eyed by both parties as Kurmis dominate in about 30 out of the 42 constituencies in the region. In 2016, Hansda won the constituency with 99233 votes.

West Medinipur: A CPM-turned-Trinamool stronghold, Medinipur will witness a battle between Samit Kumar Das and Trinamool's June Maliah, while CPI(M) has Tarun Kumar Ghosh. Medinipur, Suvendu Adhikari's homeground, will be key to see if the TMC-turned-BJP heavyweight is able to swing the vote in favour of the saffron party and away from Trinamool Congress. In 2016, TMC’s Mrigendra Nath Maiti had retained the seat by garnering 1,06,774 votes. Maiti passed away in December 2020, vacating the seat.

Purulia: In a rare three-way fight, sitting Congress MLA Sudip Mukherjee who joined the BJP recently will face Congress' Partha Pratim Banerjee and Trinamool's Sujoy Banerjee. The seat which has a 19.35% SC population and 19.22% ST population as per 2011 census, has been held by both Congress and TMC. In 2011, TMC's KP Singh Deo trounced CPM's Kaushik Mazumdar by 26,487 votes, while in 2016, Congress' Sudip Mukherjee defeated TMC's Dibyajyoti Prasad Singh Deo by a slim margin of 4,911 votes

Ramnagar: A TMC stronghold in Kanthi district  will witness a battle between veteran and incumbent MLA Akhil Giri and BJP's Swadesh Ranjan Nayak, while Sabyasachi Jana is contesting from CPI (M). Giri has won the seat in 2001, 2011, and 2016 and will seek to retain it in 2021.

Kharagpur: Another seat from Suvendu Adhikari's hometurf - Medinipur, Kharagpur will see a battle between CPM's Sk.Saddam Ali and Trinamool's Dinen Roy, while BJP has fielded Tapan Bhuiya. In 2011, CPM's Haque Nazmul won against TMC's Bilkis Khanam by 2,504 votes, while in 2016, TMC's Dinen Roy defeated CPM's Sk Sajahan Ali by 19,099 votes.

Baghmundi: Trinamool's Sushanta Mahato faces Veteran Congress leader Nepal Chandra Mahata and BJP-ally All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU)'s Ashutosh Mahato. Baghmundi, which has been incepted in 2011, has been held by Nepal Mahata since 2011. In 2016, Nepal Mahata won the seat by a margin of 8,587 votes.

Purulia: In a rare three-way fight, sitting Congress MLA Sudip Mukherjee who joined the BJP recently will face Congress' Partha Pratim Banerjee and Trinamool's Sujoy Banerjee. The seat which has a 19.35% SC population and 19.22% ST population as per 2011 census, has been held by both Congress and TMC. In 2011, TMC's KP Singh Deo trounced CPM's Kaushik Mazumdar by 26,487 votes, while in 2016, Congress' Sudip Mukherjee defeated TMC's Dibyajyoti Prasad Singh Deo by a slim margin of 4,911 votes

Kanthi Uttar: A CPM-turned-TMC stronghold will witness a three-way fight between BJP's Sumita Sinha , TMC's Tarun Kumar Jana and CPI(M)'s Santanu Maity. In 2016, Trinamool's Banasri Maity trounced CPM's  Chakradhar Maikap securing 1,03,783 votes. In 2011 as well, Banasri Maity had won defeating Maikap by a margin of 7,955 votes.

Kharagpur: Another seat from Suvendu Adhikari's hometurf - Medinipur, Kharagpur will see a battle between CPM's Sk.Saddam Ali and Trinamool's Dinen Roy, while BJP has fielded Tapan Bhuiya. In 2011, CPM's Haque Nazmul won against TMC's Bilkis Khanam by 2,504 votes, while in 2016, TMC's Dinen Roy defeated CPM's Sk Sajahan Ali by 19,099 votes

The saffron party is gearing for a tough battle in Bengal - aiming to attain more than 200 seats, while not fielding a CM face yet.  With over 65,000 booth committees and 14,000 Shakti Kendra constituted, the BJP has appointed five veterans as central observers - with the final call to be taken by Amit Shah.  BJP has also seen an inrush of disgruntled TMC leaders like - Suvendu Adhikari and his two brothers, Rajib Banerjee, Jitendra Tiwari, Vaishali Dalmiya, Dinesh Tiwari and recently Mithun Chakraborty. BJP has promised 33% reservation for women on state govt jobs, PM-KISAN arrear of Rs 18,000 for 75 lakh farmers, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, free education to women and implementing CAA in its manifesto as it eyes to forms its first government in Bengal.

TMC, on the other hand, has pushed Mamata Banerjee's 'Bengal's daughter' image, daring the BJP with its catch slogan 'Khela Hobe!' (Game is on). Taking up BJP's challenge, Mamata has filed her nomination from Nandigram, setting up a high-voltage battle against her former aide - Suvendu Adhikari. Mamata, who recently suffered an injury which she has blamed on BJP, has vowed to conduct her campaign on a wheelchair with the BJP calling it 'sympathy politics'. TMC has also promised 10 lakhs new MSMEs, Rs 1000 pensions for widows, free ration delivery, Rs 1.06 Crore for Economic support in its manifesto, as Mamata aims to defend her turf from a rising BJP.

The Congress-Left-ISF completed its seat-sharing pact, with Congress grabbing 92 seats, Left 165 seats and ISF 37 seats. Inspite of ISF eyeing the high-stakes Nandigram seat which will see Mamata Banerjee taken on former aide Suvendu Adhikari, the Left Front will contest from that seat. Siddiqui, who has also held talks with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, has stated that he will not field candidates where AIMIM is contesting. While Congress has allied with the Left in its bid to end Mamata Banerjee's 10-year term and fight an emerging BJP in Bengal, Congress is the prime opponent against the Left government in Kerala.