West Bengal Assembly Election 2021: Polling underway for sixth phase, Amit Shah appeals to vote 'fearlessly'

On Thursday polling began for 43 seats in the sixth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election 2021 amid tight security. In this phase, the election is conducted in nine constituencies each in North Dinajpur and Nadia districts, 17 in North 24 Parganas, and eight in East Burdwan. 10,409,948 electorates will decide the fate of 306 candidates among which 27 candidates are female.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted ahead of polling saying, "The people of West Bengal are voting to elect a new assembly. On the sixth phase today, urging those whose seats are polling to exercise their franchise."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to all the voters of the sixth phase of Bengal, especially the youth, to vote fearlessly for the bright future of Bengal in 'maximum numbers'. "Your one vote is the cornerstone of giving rights to the poor and deprived of Bengal and making the state a leader in the development," he tweeted in Hindi.

Trinamool Congress and the BJP are contesting all 43 seats. Congress, the Left parties, and the Indian Secular Front have made a coalition and are contesting under the banner of Samyukta Morcha. Out of the 43 seats in this round, Congress has got 12 in its share, CPM got 23, All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) got four and CPI has got two seats. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is also trying its luck and has fielded 37 candidates. 

Trinamool Congress leader Ujjal Biswas has been fielded from Krishnanagar Dakshin and TMC's Swapan Debnath is contesting from Purbasthali Dakshin. TMC candidate Chandrima Bhattacharya and CPM leader Tanmoy Bhattacharya are fighting from Dumdum Uttar. BJP national vice president and former TMC heavyweight Mukul Roy is also contesting from Krishnanagar Uttar.

Senior Congress leader Mohit Sengupta is fighting from the Raiganj Assembly constituency. Congress candidate Abdus Sattar contesting from Baduria. Former AITC minister Abdul Karim Chowdhary is in the fray from Islampur. TMC's Pundrikaksha Saha is contesting from Nabadwip. CPI leader Srikumar Mukherjee is in fray from Itahar. 

For the 6th phase of polls, both the TMC and the BJP have pitched hard to gain the confidence of Matuas, who make for a large chunk of the state’s Scheduled Caste population, in most of the 17 Assembly segments going to polls in this phase. Assembly polls have been held in 180 constituencies so far, and the remaining 114 seats are set to go to polls between 22 and 29 April. The counting of votes will happen on May 2.