Kolkata: The Election Commission is all set to defend its reputation of holding free and peaceful elections in the second phase of West Bengal assembly elections, where 50 constituencies of the total 294 goes to polls today.
More than 9.3 million voters including 4.47 million women will exercise their franchise and decide the fate of 293 candidates including 27 women and 51 independent candidates.
The Bhartiya Janata Party, which has miniscule presence in West Bengal, in terms of vote share, has fielded the 50 candidates, the highest among all parties, followed by CPI (M) 31, Trinamool Congress 29, Bahujan Samaj Party 27 and the Congress 21.
However, the star constituency of this phase is Nalhati assembly in the Birbhum district, where Congress candidate Avijit Mukherjee, son of federal Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is contesting for the first time.
Solve problems
Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Avijiit Mukherjee said: "The entire campaigning process has been a great learning experience, as I came in direct contact with voters, and was able to learn about their problems and demands.
"Given a chance to represent them, of which I am confident, I will be able to solve their problems."
Another attraction of the elections in Birbhum is Somnath Chatterjee, the ex-Lokh Sabha speaker, who was expelled from CPI (M) due to difference of opinion with party general secretary Prakash Karat.
Despite this, Chatterjee has appealed to voters of Bolpur, the constituency he represented as a Member of Parliament to vote for CPI (M).
Chatterjee said: "I have been a Communist and will remain so all my life. So there is nothing unnatural about this appeal."
More than 9.3 million voters including 4.47 million women will exercise their franchise and decide the fate of 293 candidates including 27 women and 51 independent candidates.
The Bhartiya Janata Party, which has miniscule presence in West Bengal, in terms of vote share, has fielded the 50 candidates, the highest among all parties, followed by CPI (M) 31, Trinamool Congress 29, Bahujan Samaj Party 27 and the Congress 21.
However, the star constituency of this phase is Nalhati assembly in the Birbhum district, where Congress candidate Avijit Mukherjee, son of federal Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is contesting for the first time.
Solve problems
Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Avijiit Mukherjee said: "The entire campaigning process has been a great learning experience, as I came in direct contact with voters, and was able to learn about their problems and demands.
"Given a chance to represent them, of which I am confident, I will be able to solve their problems."
Another attraction of the elections in Birbhum is Somnath Chatterjee, the ex-Lokh Sabha speaker, who was expelled from CPI (M) due to difference of opinion with party general secretary Prakash Karat.
Despite this, Chatterjee has appealed to voters of Bolpur, the constituency he represented as a Member of Parliament to vote for CPI (M).
Chatterjee said: "I have been a Communist and will remain so all my life. So there is nothing unnatural about this appeal."
