Massive security marks second phase Bengal polling

Kolkata, Apr 21 (UNI) Four districts of West Bengal go to the polls in the second phase of Assembly elections tomorrow amid a massive security cover.

With more than 50,000 central para military force jawans swarming streets and taking positions in every booth, polling will be held in 66 constituencies of East Midnapore, Hooghly, Howrah and Nadia under a strict vigil of the Election Commission.

More than an 11.3 million-strong electorate, including over 5.3 million women, will cast votes to elect representatives from among 348 aspirants. The candidates, include 28 women.

Polling will take place in 12,299 polling stations - 11,160 regular and 1139 auxilliary - across the four districts, for which 14,938 EVMs would be used.

Prominent among those in the Left Front, whose fate would be decided in this phase, are Fire Brigade Minister Pratim Chattopadhaya (Marxwadi Forward Bloc) from Tarakeshwar, Food Minister Naren Dey (Forward Bloc) from Chinsurah, Fisheries Minister (West Bengal Socialist Party) Kiranmoy Nanda from Mugberia and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prabodh Chandra Sinha (Democratic Socialist Party) from Egra and Minister of State for Health Pratyush Mukherjee (CPI-M) from Amta.

Among the Opposition heavyweights, Congress Chief Whip in the outgoing Assembly Asit Mitra from Kalyanpur, veteran Congress leader Abdul Mannan from Chapdani and Trinamool Congress stalwart Ambika Banerjee from Howrah Central would fight it out for their re-entry into the House.

While East Midnapore will witness polls for 16 constituencies, Nadia goes to polls for 15, Howrah for 16 and Hooghly for 19.

Even as the first phase polling ended peacefully with a very high turnout, the EC took no chances in its effort to complete the five-phase process, deputing altogether 132 observers and imposing stricter rules.

More than 500 companies of the CMPF will patrol streets and guard every polling booth in the four districts.

For the first time, the central force jawans have been directed to go from door to door and ask voters whether they had any fears.

In case of any complaints, they will report the matter to the central observer and the District Magistrate through the higher officer for taking necessary measures.

Altogether 132 observers will be moving from booth to booth--two each taking care of 66 constituencies.

The Election Commission has also directed to ensure hourly visit of all the booths by sector commanders, he added.

Altogether 3.52 lakh names have been deleted from the electoral rolls in these four districts following an intensive clean up operation while 72,000 new names have been included.

Udaynarayanpur in Howrah district has the highest number of candidates of 11, while Nabadwip in Nadia, Panchla in Howrah, Jangipur, Singur, Dhaniakhali, Trakeshwar, Khanakul and Arambagh in Hooghly district and Goghat, Ramnagar, Mugberia and Patspur in East Midnapore district have the lowest number of candidates of three.

There will be no straight contest in this phase.

In the first phase, which went to polls on April 17, an estimated 81 per cent electorate exercised its rights to franchise in three Maoist-dominated districts of South Bengal.

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