West Bengal witnessed a historic 90% voter turnout in the initial phase of Assembly elections, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing confidence in her party’s chances of victory. Banerjee, addressing a rally in Kolkata, stated that the significant voter participation indicated the Trinamool Congress’s strong position in the election. She emphasized that the high turnout reflected the public’s commitment to safeguarding their rights.
Banerjee also highlighted concerns over the BJP’s potential implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) if victorious, attributing the massive voter turnout to citizens’ desire to protect their rights. Asserting her party’s readiness for success, Banerjee reiterated her focus on ousting the BJP government at the national level. The first phase of polling saw an impressive 89.93% voter turnout across 152 out of 294 Assembly seats.
The upcoming voting round is scheduled for April 29, with the results slated for May 4. Trinamool Congress candidate Kunal Ghosh expressed optimism, predicting the party’s victory in around 125 seats from the areas covered in the initial phase. Ghosh dismissed the BJP’s interpretation of the voter turnout, emphasizing that it signifies support for Mamata Banerjee’s governance. He projected a significant win for the Trinamool Congress in the first phase, with expectations ranging from 125 to 134 seats out of the 152 constituencies that went to the polls.
