Campaign ends for fifth phase of polling in Bengal

Campaign for the fifth phase of polling for the West Bengal assembly elections for 53 seats in 24 Parganas Dakshin, Hooghly and Kolkata Dakshin districts came to end on Thursday evening. The voting will take place on Saturday.

In last ditch attempts to woo voters, leaders of various political parties brought out road shows, street processions and held rallies.

Addressing rallies in 24-Parganas Dakshin, senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told voters to exercise their franchise without fear and complain to the Election Commission if the opponents try to unleash violence.

Attacking both the Congress-Left combine and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the present dismal state of West Bengal, Singh said the BJP would emerge as a big political force in Bengal through the ongoing elections, because no one is safe after the five year rule of TMC in the state that has been turned into a crude bomb making factory.

Observing that neither the Left Front nor the TMC will be able to form the government if the elections are held freely without violence and intimidation, the BJP leader asked the people to vote his party to power, as BJP governments have remained absolutely free of any corruption charges in contrast to Congress governments.

Rajnath asked the Left front to explain as to what is their stand on the Congress' role in AugustaWestland helicopter scam.

Attacking Left leader Buddhadev Bhattacharya, Siddharth Nath Singh asked five questions to the former chief minister for sharing an election rally with Rahul Gandhi and keeping mum on the Augusta chopper scam.

TMC chairperson and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led two street marches in south Kolkata. At the onset, she again charged the EC for perpetrating terror on the people by imposing prohibitory orders three-day ahead of the polling. She said that her party has already garnered majority votes to form the next government with culmination of fourth phase polling.

Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and Md. Azharuddin held meetings along with Left leaders in Kolkata port areas before the campaign came to a close this evening.

Pilot said the Mamata government has failed to serve the cause of people by continuously helping corruption at all levels and the BJP is acting under a tacit understanding with the TMC.