West Bengal voting in fourth phase of Assembly polls

The fourth phase of Bengal assembly polls will cover 44 Assembly constituencies and 5 districts which include South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar.

Around 1crore 16 lakh voters are expected to cast their votes in this phase.

In this phase,373 candidates, including 50 females, are contesting.

Meanwhile, re-poll will be conducted in polling booth no. 88 in Hooghly's Jangipara AC where election was conducted on Apr 6 (third phase).

PM Narendra Modi urged people to vote in record numbers.

"As the 4th phase of the West Bengal elections begin, urging the people voting today to do so in record numbers. I would especially request the youth and women to vote in large numbers," Modi tweeted.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee urged people to vote in large numbers.

"I urge my brothers and sisters in Bengal to come out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right today,' she said.

The prominent leaders contesting in this phase include State Ministers Binay Krishna Barman from Coochbehar Uttar, Rabindranath Ghosh from Natabari, Javed Ahmed Khan from Kasba, Aroop Biswas from Tollyganj, Partha Chatterjee from Behala Paschim, Arup Roy from Howrah Madhya, Becharam Manna from Singur, Indranil Sen from Chandannagar and Tapan Dasgupta from Saptagram.

Former Ministers Paresh Chandra Adhikary from Mekliganj, Udayan Guha from Dinhata, Rajib Bannerjee from Domjur, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Abdul Mannan from Champdani, BJP leader Manoj Tigga from Madarihat, Congress leader Deboprasad Roy from Alipurduar, Left-Front Leader Dr. Sujan Chakraborty from Jadavpur and CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member Mohammed Salim from Chanditala are also in the fray.

Besides, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee from Chunchura, actors Anjana Basu and Arundhati Maitra from Sonarpur Dakshin, cricketer Manoj Tiwary from Shibpur, footballer Bidesh Ranjan Bose from Uluberia Purba and senior journalist Rantidev Sengupta from Howrah Dakshin are also trying their luck.

The campaign was characterised by a no-holds-barred tirade of allegations and counter-allegations and ruling Trinamool Congress going all out to retain power for the third successive term.

The Trinamool Congress chief called upon the people to defeat the BJP while the Prime Minister urged voters to exercise their franchise in his party's favour.

The remaining four phases are on April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29.

The counting of votes will take place on May 2.