Kolkata (West Bengal): The question that is brewing in West Bengal is whether Mamata Banerjee will secure her third term as the Chief Minister or Trinamool Congress's dream to see Didi in the chair again will be shattered by the rising saffron wave this time.
Precisely the people of the state will get the answer on May 2, 2021, whose decisive factor would be eight-phase assembly polls, the longest ever in the history of the state starting from March 27 to April 29. The polls dates for West Bengal this time are March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. The 2016 West Bengal polls was a seven-phase affair.
Although the Election Commission declined to spell out what prompted them to stretch the Bengal polls a month-long affair in eight-phases, it is perceived by the political circles of the state that apprehensions over major election day violence from BJP, and the other opposition parties to some extent prompted the commission to take such drastic step to ensure free and fair polls.
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Besides announcing the longest polls ever in the state, the Election Commission on Friday also took another major decision which is to divide polls in bigger districts like Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, West Midnapore, Hooghly and East Midnapore in more than one phase. "This is something again for the first time. Generally, we are habituated with the process of conducting polls in all the constituencies of one district on the same day," pointed out a city-based political analyst.
The decision for this eight-phase poll has naturally irked the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee. She claimed that the eight-phase poll is a ploy to insult the people of West Bengal. "This has been done as per the wish of the BJP leadership. Deliberately polls for districts like South 24 Parganas have been divided into phases, as these districts are our strongholds. However, we are not scared since we have faith in the people of Bengal, who will give a befitting reply in a democratic manner," she said.
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However, BJP leader, Shamik Bhattacharya, justified the commission's decision to conduct an eight-phase poll in the state. "It is surely an insult for West Bengal that it will have to go through eight-phase polls. But who is responsible for it? Trinamool Congress over years has turned the entire state into a haven for antisocial elements and violence mongers. So the commission has taken the right decision to go for eight-phase polls," Bhattacharya said.
Congress-legislator Manoj Chakraborty went a step ahead in hailing the decision and said that considering the law & order situation of West Bengal, it would have been better had the commission called for a 12- phase poll. "All we want is a peaceful poll where the voters are not intimidated and can vote without fear," he said.
CPI(M) politburo member, Mohammad Salim too hailed the decision for eight-phase polls and said that the commission has to ensure that voters are not intimidated during any time of the election process.
