Electioneering ends for second phase of WB Assembly polls

The high-voltage campaign for Sunday's crucial second phase of polls in 56 assembly constituencies in West Bengal came to an end this evening.
Altogether 383 candidates, including 33 women, are fighting for the 56 seats which are spread over seven districts - Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda and Birbhum.
An electorate of over 1.2 crore are eligible to exercise their franchise in the crucial phase.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a host of Union ministers campaigned for BJP candidates in this phase, while the star campaigner for the Congress was Sonia Gandhi.

Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee spearheaded her party's campaign throughout the state.
CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra was the most visible face of the Left who led their campaign. CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury also canvassed for votes in this phase.

Corruption, Narada sting operation, Saradha chit fund scam and alleged muzzling of democracy under the present administration were the principal issues highlighted by the opposition parties during their electioneering.
The Prime Minister in his poll speeches attacked Banerjee, accusing her of making an "adjustment" with corruption and misleading people with the slogan for change (parivartan) in West Bengal.

He also attacked the Congress-Left alliance in the state, pointing out the "inevitable discrepancy in the unlikely tie-up".
Chief Minister Banerjee largely concentrated on the development work undertaken by her government.