Image Source : PTI Kolkata: A display of masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, for sale at a shop ahead of Lok Sabha polls Hello friends. Election season has now started. It has started with a bang. So I am here. I am here to talk to you. Being a journalist in this election festival, I am roaming here and there, collecting information, input from aam janata. I want to share my thoughts. A few days ago I was in Kolkata – around 1500 kms from the capital Delhi. In a narrow street of Kolkata, a small tea shop was there. It was morning tea-time. A lot of Bengali 'bhadralok' people were sitting there. After the morning walk, it is the standard routine habit of the Bongs to have hot tea. I sat silently and sipped my tea. I was listening to what they were saying. Bhardralok A - Have you seen this time on the occasion of Ram Navami how Bengali people celebrated Ramapuja? Bhadralok B - Yes yes, that is really a new phenomenon. Bhadralok C - But BJP is not understanding, this is Bengal. This is not Hindi heartland. This is Mamata land. Bhadralok A - You have to accept one thing. Mamata is a bygone story. What has she done for Bengal? Now it is Modi. Narendra Modi is the big bang. Bengali people also candidly claimed that Modi is coming back after this. Suddenly the atmosphere has changed peace of dialogue ended and major fighting started. Tea stall owner Haradhan Babu intervened and said, please don’t fight like this. Rather one more tea for all is needed. Is Bengal Changing? The DNA of Bengali was left radical and liberal, Kolkata is a city of Indian Renaissance which took place in the 19th century. But now Bengal's economy is lamentable. Mamata brought Paribartan (Change). She ousted prolonged Left Communist rule from Bengal. But under the leadership of Narendra Modi, BJP wants another Paribartan in Bengal now. Dear friends dear my readers you can stop me here and ask me why I’m talking so much on Bengal? I am a non-resident Bengali. I have been living in Delhi for over 30 years, but that is not the reason. In this election, BJP as a pan-Indian party is giving massive importance to Bengal. BJP's contingency strategy. If BJP gets less number in Uttar Pradesh and broadly in the Hindi heartlands, they may compensate these numbers from Bengal, Odisha and North East. I recall when Amit Shah became the party president, he announced the party’s pan Indian growth strategy. Hindi heartland is the base area of BJP but Bengal, Odisha and North East is the new base area. BJP has to grow beyond the so-called cow belt. West Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha seats. TMC has now 32 MPs, Congress 6 and CPM 2, BJP 2. Also read | West Bengal performed poorly in almost all governance issues: Survey BJP has become the main opposition now. Congress and Left both the parties have fragmented virtually into non-existence. BJP has taken the space of these two anti-BJP parties. Now come to TMC. Mamata Banerjee was the Bengali Tigress but now after eight years of her rule anti-incumbency is the law of nature. So in Bengal, apart from the Hindu-Muslim polarisation, political polarisation between Mamata and BJP is also very strong. I am not saying Mamata land will be suddenly 100 per cent Modi land. I think, still, Mamata will remain the main determinant in Bengal. She will remain the no.1, but BJP may increase their numbers in Bengal. The main question is how many seats they can increase. For BJP's victory, the pre-conditions are ready. The infrastructure is ready. The past vote share of BJP in the state is 17.2%. It should increase but the percentage of the vote must translate into seats. We can't forget that in the last election of 2014 in UP, BSP became the third party according to the percentage of vote but it could not get a single seat. Two factors are worth understanding. One, in order to get a large number of seats of the stage, the BJP would have to significantly increase its vote share from 2014 levels, and second, BJP's growth in Bengal now has been at the cost of Communists and Congress. In 2009, Left and BJP's total vote share was 47% on 42 seats approximately and in 2014 it was 47.8%. In 2014, it shifted to BJP more. In the last panchayat election, the BJP became the second largest party in the state, until 2016 it was the Left. Also read | Cash remains king for election campaign merchandise in Bengal TMC vote share increased from 21% in 2004, when it won just one Lok Sabha seat, to 39% in 2014. This increased to 45% in the 2016 elections. If the TMC is able to retain this kind of a vote share, it might be difficult for the BJP to increase its seat tally. BJP's politics in Bengal is vibrant now. The issue of Bangladeshi infiltration, Muslim appeasement by Mamata, unemployment and the lack of development are the main issues. BJP in Bengal has a peculiar problem of leadership too. Although Dr Shyamprasad Mukharjee was the founder of Jana Sangha, but today in West Bengal there is no BJP face of leadership, the organisational capability is also weak. Can Modi’s rallies and his speeches motivate the Bengali voters to cast their votes in the favour of BJP? Lastly, political violence is a very common phenomenon in Bengal. In the first phase even in the second phase, there was violence, the allegation of rigging. Can BJP combat the hegemony of Police and lumpen goons, which has become the Bengal political culture? Politics is always an art of possibility. Let’s see, the future will determine what the future will be. Thank you. Coming soon with another state next week. Also read | BJP demands re-polling in 297 West Bengal booths<doc-sep>Soon after a special observer of the Election Commission said that the situation in West Bengal resembled the one in Bihar 10 or 15 years ago, almost on cue, on the day of the third phase of polling, a Congress worker was killed in Murshidabad. Earlier, among other incidents, an election official was injured; a young student suffered an injury in a suspected political clash; the car of a candidate was vandalised; police fired at protestors who, in turn, were agitating because they claimed people had not been allowed to vote. The opposition, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has claimed that this is all an outcome of the deeply undemocratic and repressive machinery of the Trinamool Congress in the state. The BJP argues that its rise in the state has made Mamata Banerjee’s outfit insecure and it has, therefore, resorted to intimidation and violence on an unprecedented scale. Banerjee, on her part, has rejected the accusations and instead claimed that central forces have been influencing people to vote in favour of the BJP. She has also blamed the Election Commission for favouring the BJP. Each incident may have its own specific context. But there are clear principles involved here. West Bengal has witnessed electoral violence, intimidation and malpractices for decades now. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) perfected the art, and the Trinamool Congress has replicated a similar political culture. Among all states going for polls, it appears that the political space in West Bengal is the most restrictive. This needs urgent correction. All voters must be allowed to exercise free choice. At the same time, the BJP must be careful when it makes accusations, meet the test of accuracy, and not misuse any central institutions.<doc-sep>PM Modi addressed a public rally in West Bengal's south Dinajpur district earlier today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that the Congress was placing vote bank politics above national interest while it was in power at the Centre. He also claimed that the the opposition party and its allies were rattled by the trends that have emerged from the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls. "... The trends of the first two phases of elections have left them rattled. They no more have the temerity to demand proofs of the valiant cross-border operations conducted by our armed forces," the prime minister said. Earlier in the day, PM Modi addressed a public meeting in West Bengal, where he asked the voters to put brakes on "Speed-breaker Didi" Mamata Banerjee's rule and end the "politics of threat, loot and corruption". Addressing a rally in West Bengal's south Dinajpur district, PM Modi said: "Don't you want this politics of threat, loot and corruption to end? Then come out from every household in every village, town, nook and corner and give the Trinamool a befitting reply for unleashing a rule of terror. Rise up Bengal give your response on May 23". The pubic meeting at Narayanpur ground has been organised in support of BJP candidate Sukanta Majumdar, a reputed botanist of Gour Banga University who is taking on sitting Trinamool Congress MP and noted theatre activist Arpita Ghosh. The BJP is dreaming big in Balurghat, once a stronghold of the Left. The BJP is hoping to wean a substantial part of the Left vote bank which has seen a lot of erosion across the state, as also get a large chunk of the substantial tribal vote in the constituency. This was PM Modi's fifth visit to the state this year, and the seventh public meeting in Bengal in around two and a half months, according to news agency IANS. After Bengal, PM Modi will visit Bihar to address three rallies in 1200 Araria, Etah and Aonla. Here are the updates on PM Modi's Rallies: Apr 20, 2019 13:09 (IST) Congress Placed Vote Bank Politics Above National Interest: PM Modi Those who feel discomfort chanting '' Bharat Mata Ki Jai '' and side with those saying '' Bharat Tere Tukde Honge '' can do nothing for the progress of India. '' and side with those saying '' '' can do nothing for the progress of India. The country has witnessed two types of politics of ''vote bhakti'' and of ''desh bhakti''. The former was on display after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, when the then government did not go after Pakistan for abetting terror, and chose to derail the investigations in many terror cases by coming up with the theory of Hindu terror. The latter was demonstrated by us when the Uri terror attack was replied with surgical strikes and Pulwama was followed by air strikes. Apr 20, 2019 12:13 (IST) PM Modi will address three public meetings in Bihar today PM Modi will address three public meetings in Bihar today. He is scheduled to hold a rally in Araria shortly. This will be followed by a public meeting in Etah and Aonla. PM Modi will address three public meetings in Bihar today. He is scheduled to hold a rally in Araria shortly. This will be followed by a public meeting in Etah and Aonla. Apr 20, 2019 11:35 (IST) Bullying of Trinamool will not prevent its massive defeat: PM Don't you want this politics of threat, loot and corruption to end? Then come out from every household in every village, town, nook and corner and give the Trinamool a befitting reply for unleashing a rule of terror. Rise up Bengal give your response on May 23. Bullying of Trinamool will not prevent its massive defeat, Bengal is with the BJP. Apr 20, 2019 11:08 (IST) TMC, Left front and Congress indulge in politics of discrimination: PM Modi TMC, Left front and Congress indulge in politics of discrimination. On the other hand, our government believe in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas . . The schemes of our governments are benefitting the poor and marginalised from all communities It is shameful that people from neighbouring country are campaigning for the TMC, which was done to appease the minority community<doc-sep>By PTI KRISHNAGAR: A nodal officer of the Election Commission in charge of EVMs and VVPATs posted at Krishnagar under Ranaghat parliamentary constituency of West Bengal is missing for over 24 hours, police said Friday. Arnab Roy(30) left his official quarters here for his poll duty at Bipradas Choudhury Polytechnic College Thursday morning but was not spotted since afternoon, a senior Nadia police officer told PTI. His vehicle was, however, found parked outside the college here, he said. Election Commission special observer in West Bengal Ajay Naik told journalists, "I have been told that he is not around. But I think his missing has something to do with his personal life." FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Sources in Nadia district police said that his two mobile phones are switched off and their last location was detected to be near Shantipur. "After Shantipur his location could not be detected as his phones were switched off. This is making it difficult for us to locate him," another police officer said. Initial investigation revealed that Roy, had an alleged tiff with Nadia District Magistrate Sumit Gupta, who was also his neighbour, a few days ago on some operational duties in connection with the elections. When contacted Gupta denied having any altercation with Roy. "Whoever has told you such a thing has given wrong information. Nothing has happened between us. We have initiated a search for him," Gupta told PTI. After a failed search, the district administration lodged a complaint with the kotwali police station at Krishnanagar, the police officer said. Roy's wife too lodged a complaint. Election Commission sources said that a report was sought from the district magistrate on Roy going missing and a replacement in place of Roy has been already made. Ranaghat Parliamentary constituency, considered to be a stronghold of Trinamool Congress, will go to polls of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the fourth phase on April 29.<doc-sep>
Villagers testified that problems began since last year’s panchayat elections when the BJP surprisingly bagged five out of the 14 seats in the Sahapur panchayat. (Photo: P Biswas/Representational image) With voting slips in hand, scores of angry men and women stood out in the village courtyard in Phulbari on Friday morning, even though polling for the second phase in West Bengal had ended on Thursday. Located in Goalpokhar (I) Block, about 85 km from Raiganj town, residents in the village claimed that they were barred from casting their vote on Thursday by Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters -- a claim that was vehemently refuted by the ruling party. 'You don't need to vote, give us your slip' On Thursday morning, Prabhat Pal was one of the first from his village to reach booth no. 191 to cast his vote. Pal said he was confronted by a group of TMC supporters who told him to vote for TMC if he wants to live. "You don't need to vote, give us your voting slip, they told me. I was alone but they were 6-7 of them so I had to return," Pal told India Today TV. "They were apprehensive that we will all vote for BJP, so early in the morning they started resorting to violence. None of us could vote. Even the BJP agent was not allowed," said another villager. The agent in question, Jayanta Pal, said he was on his way to booth when TMC supporters blocked him and sent him home. "They told us we were not allowed there," he said. According to locals, on the eve of elections, TMC leader Md Khaleq, who is also the local Panchayat Upapradhan came and met with villagers to seek their support for the TMC. "There was a meeting where we were instructed to vote for TMC," informs Debu Pal, a villager present at the meet. BJP wants re-polling in village Local BJP leader Sanjib Saha, in-charge of the Sahapur panchayat area, told India Today TV that the party wants re-polling in the village. "TMC felt voters here won't vote for them. If Didi has done such good work as the TMC claims, why are they not confident of the public?" he asked. The BJP leader further alleged that the whole thing was orchestrated by Goalpokhar TMC MLA and state minister Gulam Rabbani. Villagers testified that problems began since last year's panchayat elections when the BJP surprisingly bagged five out of the 14 seats in the Sahapur panchayat. However, the ruling TMC managed to form the board with just four seats with support from four Independent and one Congress member. Rubbishing allegations that the ruling party wants to free the area of all political opposition, Rabbani questioned, "How CPI(M)'s Md Salim won the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat if opposition was being barred in the region?" "There is no BJP presence there, so where is the need for us to threat? These are all baseless allegations. People are with us as they are happy with the development work of Mamata Banerjee. There is a specific forum and they can complain," he says. Amid the allegations and counter claims, office of the Chief Electoral Officer in West Bengal has issued a statement on Friday, refuting charges of any irregularity at the booth in question. "There was a thorough probe conducted by the district observer and it has come to light that allegations of rigging are completely false and baseless. Large number of people have cast their vote at that booth under the close vigil of CAPF," it stated. With a clearly demarcated but mixed population in the locality, the Phulbari area has witnessed considerable polarisation over recent months. According to the 2011 census data, Muslims form 77.26 per cent of the population in the Goalpokhar (I) Block while Hindus are 22.35 per cent. With a four cornered battle between the CPI(M), TMC, Congress and BJP, the saffron party hopes to gain from consolidation of Hindu votes and a division of the Muslim vote between the other three parties.