West Bengal polls: JP Nadda asks voters to end 'Tanashahi', 'Tolabaji' under Mamata's rule

BJP National President, JP Nadda on April 19, in West Bengal's North Dinajpur, urged the voters of poll-bound state to vote for the BJP in order to "end the 'Tolabaji (extortion), Tushtikaran (appeasement), tanashahi (dictatorship)' prevalent in the State under the rule of Mamata Banerjee."

Nadda, while holding a roadshow, addressed the gathering supporting BJP's candidate from North Dinajpur, Krishna Kumar Kalyani. He said, "This election in West Bengal is happening for 'asol parivartan' (real change) and to make the State 'Sonar Bengal' (Golden Bengal)." Amid chants of Jai Shri Ram from accompanying party workers, the BJP National President said, 

"The Tolabaji, Tushtikaran, tanashahi, which is prevaling under the rule of  Mamata Banerjee has to be stopped by making the lotus bloom and make Krishna Kalyani victorious. Friends, before taking your leave, I would like to take this promise from you that you will vote for the BJP and make it  victorious in Dinajpur and in Raiganj just as it is winning in the rest of West Bengal."

The first five phases of the eight-phase West Bengal Assembly Elections has been concluded. Sixth phase of State Assembly elections is scheduled on April 22. The seventh and eighth phases will be held on April 26 and April 29 respectively. The counting of votes will be held on May 2. The voter turnout for the seats that went to the polls in the first, second, third, fourth & fifth phases was 84.63 per cent, 86.11 per cent, 84.61 per cent, 79.90 per cent & 79.18% respectively. 

'CM Mamata will not campaign in Kolkata anymore'

Ahead of the final phase of Assembly elections, TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Sunday night took to his official Twitter handle and said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not campaign any further in Kolkata. Pointing towards the rising COVID-19 cases across the state, the TMC supremo will only hold one "symbolic" meeting on the last day of campaigning in Kolkata on April 26.

COVID-19 Situation In West Bengal Amid Elections And Rallies

While India is witnessing an unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, West Bengal has so far recorded over 6,51,508 positive cases, out of which, 5,95,668 have recovered successfully and 10,540 have died. As per the latest reports, in the past 24 hours, 7,713 new cases, 3,426 fresh recoveries and 34 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active COVID-19 cases in the poll-bound state is 45,300.