At the end of the fifth phase of polls in West Bengal, the total voter turnout registered was 78.36%. The day witnessed sporadic incidents of violence at some places like Bijpur, Santipur, Siliguri, & Shantinagar, but the election went on more or less peacefully.

Among the districts Jalpaiguri witnessed the highest polling percentage (81.73), followed by Purba Bardhaman (81.72), Nadia (81.57), North 24 Parganas (74.83), Darjeeling (74.31) and Kalimpong (69.56).

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In cases of violence and associated arrests, at least 123 people, including one Independent candidate, were arrested, out of which 100 were preventive arrests.

On Saturday, the Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “shocking callousness” for addressing rallies in poll-bound West Bengal “instead of staying in Delhi” to handle the Covid pandemic situation.

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P Chidambaram, Senior spokesperson of Congress said that the prime minister should be at his job, sitting at his desk and coordinating with chief ministers in handling the Covid pandemic.

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At a press conference, Chidambaram told reporters, “It is shocking callousness on the part of the prime minister to be addressing rallies in West Bengal, instead of staying in Delhi and handling the situation. He should be there in Delhi fighting the war instead.”

In response to a question he further said, “I hope the people of West Bengal will take note of this and give him a shocking reply.”

He also added, “He (PM) should be at his job, at his desk, taking decisions and coordinating with state governments and reassuring chief ministers that their demands on vaccines, oxygen and ventilators would be met. This is the prime minister’s job today.”

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After today’s fifth-phase, the sixth phase for 43 seats will be held on April 22, seventh phase on April 26 for 36 seats and the last and eighth phase would be on April 29 for 35 seats. The results of the election will be declared after vote counting on May 02.