Political violence and the “politics of confrontation” are a big worry for West Bengal as even civil society and the media tend to politicise issues, rues Somnath Chatterjee. The former Lok Sabha Speaker is concerned about free and fair Assembly polls as the trend is to “terrorise and mislead people”.

A high-voltage campaign in this Union Territory for the April 13 polls came to an end on Monday with the Congress-led combine and rival AIADMK-AINRC front making last minute efforts to woo the electorate.

The resounding success of chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s maiden roadshow on Saturday seems to have galvanised the beleaguered Left Front workers. The CPI(M) cadres, in particular, who were earlier campaigning rather listlessly and even half-heartedly have suddenly become more determined.

Brushing aside allegations by the state's ruling Marxists that the railways were being run inefficiently by Mamata Banerjee, union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said she will run West Bengal well if the Trinamul Congress-Congress alliance is voted to power in the assembly elections.

At least 22 people were injured and one of them hospitalised, as forces baton charged voters and fired in air twice to scare away a rampaging mob which torched a police vehicle in Rangiya constituency.

First-time voters and women on Monday turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise during the second and last phase polls in 64 Assembly seats in 14 districts of Assam.

The second and final phase of polling ended in Assam on Monday with more than 70 per cent electorate coming out to exercise their franchise.
Disclosing that about 70.35 per cent electorates exercised their franchise, Chief Electoral Officer Hemanta Nazary said there were reports of poll related scuffle from some areas but by and large it was peaceful.

Welcoming BJP leader L.K. Advani's statement of pledging support to the Lokpal Bill, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said that the UPA government was in favour of placing the Bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Brushing aside allegations by the state's ruling Marxists that the railways were being run inefficiently by Mamata Banerjee, union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said she will run West Bengal well if the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance is voted to power in the Assembly elections.