Bhabanipur, April 29 (IANS) West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday inspected polling stations in the Bhabanipur Assembly seat, and also offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in the region as the voting for the second phase of elections in the state continued amid tight security.
Suvendu Adhikari is contesting against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur — a seat held by Mamata for the past 15 years. He is also contesting the elections from Nandigram, a seat he currently holds.
Speaking to the reporters at the Sunder Di Gari Temple, Adhikari said, “Please vote… Vote in large numbers.”
The BJP candidate also inspected polling stations in the area.
To ensure security, CCTV cameras have been installed, and CAPF personnel are deployed. The polling officers have made strict arrangements for the polling.
Earlier, a petitioner sought cancellation of Adhikari’s nomination, alleging that he made remarks against the secular fabric of the nation. However, the petitioner could not provide a satisfactory answer to the court’s query as to which provision of the Constitution the candidature should be cancelled under. The Calcutta High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation seeking cancellation of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s candidature in the Bhabanipur constituency.
Polling began at 7 a.m. for 142 constituencies across six districts, including its capital, Kolkata, in the second phase of the two-phase Assembly polls.
The polling process started on Wednesday with mild tension in certain pockets from the very first hour.
In the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata, which is witnessing a battle between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, the Chief Minister’s brother, Kartik Banerjee, was cautioned by central forces for assembling near a police station with companions in excess of the permitted number.
In the Bhawanipur-adjacent Rashbehari constituency, also in South Kolkata, mild tension broke out after allegations that ruling Trinamool Congress activists were preventing Congress booth agents from entering a particular polling booth. Congress alleged ‘hooliganism’ by the ruling party activists in the Rashbehari Assembly constituency at the beginning of the polling process.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning issued a social media post in Bengal, giving a call for the voters in these 142 Assembly constituencies to vote in large numbers.
“Today is the second phase of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections 2026. I urge all those who are voting today to cast their votes in record numbers to make our democracy more vibrant and participatory. In particular, it is extremely urgent that the women and youth power of West Bengal turn out in large numbers to exercise their voting rights,” the social media post by the Prime Minister read.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed at Singur in Hooghly district since Tuesday night, with the outgoing Trinamool Congress legislator, Bencharam Manna, staging a protest demonstration in front of the local police station, alleging excesses by the security forces.
The polling process at a booth in Santipur Assembly constituency in Nadia district started late due to an EVM malfunction.
Mock polling, mandatory before the actual polling process, was conducted at all polling booths where the elections are being conducted.
Apart from the state capital Kolkata, the six districts where polling is being held in the second phase on Wednesday are North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah, Nadia and East Burdwan.
The second phase of the Assembly polls is being conducted under unprecedented security cover, with the deployment of 2,407 companies of central forces, including Central Armed Police Forces, the India Reserve Battalion, and personnel from armed police wings of other states, in addition to personnel from West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police.
Webcasting is being conducted in all polling stations.
–IANS
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