West Bengal election campaign in full swing ahead of phase 1 poll; parties line up rallies

With West Bengal all set for the first phase of assembly elections on March 27, campaigning for this phase is expected to conclude on a high-pitched note on Thursday. The state is set to witness back-to-back rallies by top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as they wrap up campaigning for the high-octane elections.

The key highlight of Thursday's poll campaign will be Mithun Chakraborty's mega roadshows across West Bengal, with Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh holding three other rallies in the poll-bound state. TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee will also spearhead four rallies in Bengal today. 

Amit Shah's massive rally in Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will take part in various political events in Bengal on Thursday. He will kick-start the campaign at Bagmundi at 11:30 am and will hold another rally at Jhargram at around 1 pm. Shah's will then campaign in Tamluk at 02:45 pm, followed by Bishnupur at 4:45 pm.

Mithun Chakraborty's mega roadshow

Actor-politician Mithun Chakraborty who join the BJP recently will start his election campaign with a roadshow in Bankura at 09:50 am, followed by another roadshow at Inkuri at 12:45 pm. Chakraborty will also rally in Keshiyari in Jhragram at 2 pm and 4 pm respectively. 

Rajnath Singh in poll-bound Bengal

Union Minister Rajnath Singh will also hold three public rallies in Bengal starting at Joypur in Bankura at 12:45 pm, then in Taldangra at 2 pm, and finally at Kakdwip at 4 pm. 

Mamata Banerjee's four public rallies in Bengal

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is set to hold four public rallies in Bengal, starting at Pathar Pratima at 9 am, followed by Sagar in South 24 Parganas at 10 am, in Dantan at 11:30 am, and finally at Medinipur at 12:30 pm. 

In Bengal, the BJP aims to get a majority of over 200 seats ousting the ruling TMC government, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is confident of returning to power in the state for the third time, terming it a “smiley election”.

A total of 294 seats are up for grabs in Bengal and people will be able to cast their votes at 1,01,916 polling stations. As per the phases, the polling in the state will be conducted on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. The counting of votes shall take place on May 2.