Kharge urges Bengal voters to follow Constitution, uphold spirit of democracy

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged voters in West Bengal to turn out in large numbers as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections, stressing the need to uphold democracy, social justice, equality, and freedom.

In a post on X, Kharge appealed to citizens not to be discouraged by any forces and to participate actively in the electoral process. “Your vote is your voice, and it must be resoundingly heard,” he said, while calling on people to follow the path laid down by the Constitution.

Highlighting Bengal’s legacy, the Congress chief said the state has been home to leaders who stood for democratic values and social justice, urging voters to ensure those ideals remain intact. He also made a special appeal to first-time voters to exercise their franchise with conviction and contribute to inclusive development. “Jai Hind. Jai Bangla,” he added.

Polling for 152 constituencies began at 7 am amid heavy security deployment in what is being seen as a crucial phase of the elections. Voters were seen lining up outside booths across districts — from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the north to Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum and Hooghly in the south.

This phase covers more than half of the state’s 294 assembly seats. According to the Election Commission of India, over 3.60 crore electors are eligible to vote, including around 1.75 crore women and 465 third-gender voters.

Security has been tightened significantly, with nearly 2,450 companies of central paramilitary forces — amounting to about 2.5 lakh personnel — deployed across the state. More than 8,000 polling stations have been marked as “highly sensitive”.

The Congress is contesting the elections independently, taking on the ruling All India Trinamool Congress, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Left parties.

The second phase of polling is scheduled for 29 April, with counting of votes set for 4 May.

With PTI inputs