Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said central forces will continue to remain in West Bengal for 60 days even after the Assembly election results are declared. Addressing a rally in Behala ahead of the April 29 polling, he urged voters to cast their ballots without fear.
“Brothers and sisters, go and vote on the 29th, do not worry about Didi's (Mamata Banerjee's) goons. The Election Commission has deployed CAPF at every nook and corner, and I am telling you that even though the BJP will come to power after the elections, central forces will remain here for 60 more days,” he said.
Shah made the remarks during campaigning for the second and final phase of voting in the 294-member Assembly, where polling is set to take place across 142 constituencies.
Massive deployment of CAPF
Earlier, the Election Commission had confirmed that around 500 CAPF companies would stay on in the state after the results to maintain law and order. Each company includes nearly 100 personnel. In total, about 2,450 companies have been deployed during the elections, with 2,321 assigned specifically for the second phase.
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This extended deployment comes in the backdrop of the violence reported after the 2021 Assembly election results, when clashes were recorded across several districts.
Political messaging and campaign pitch
Reiterating confidence in a BJP victory, Shah said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party is definitely going to form the government.” He also spoke about the party’s plan to introduce the Uniform Civil Code, adding, “Where is the fear? We have to implement the UCC. Our agenda is that there cannot be four marriages in India.”
“After May 4, no one will be allowed to practice polygamy,” he added.
Targeting the ruling government led by Mamata Banerjee, Shah warned against voter intimidation. “I want to warn Didi's goons in Chandannagar - do not step out to intimidate voters on April 29. After May 4, the BJP will punish the culprits and hang them upside down,” he said.
Focus on law and order, infiltration claims
During another roadshow in Chandannagar, Shah accused the state government of shielding infiltrators and resisting their removal from electoral rolls. “Didi feels pain when we say infiltrators must be removed. She is opposing SIR. Right now, names have been removed from electoral rolls, and after May 4, all infiltrators will be identified and removed from Bengal,” he said.
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He also claimed that polling so far has remained peaceful. “So far, there has been no major incident of violence. Not a single death has taken place. The elections are being conducted peacefully,” he said.
Results and turnout
The first phase of polling, held on April 23, recorded a turnout of 93.2 per cent. Counting of votes will take place on May 4, along with results from Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.
