Why was the Election Commission sleeping all this while, asked Trinamool Congress MP Nusrat Jahan Ruhi on Mody after the poll body banned public meetings in the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to reporters after casting her vote with her parents in the seventh phase of the polls, Nusrat also said that wherever she has campaigned, she has only seen support for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"Wherever I have been campaigning, I've seen peoples' support for only one face - Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's... Why was the Election Commission sleeping all this while?" the TMC MP questioned.
She further said, "When Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided not to hold public meetings, the EC called off all public meetings. It listens to the PM and Home Minister more than anyone else," she added.
Voting is currently underway in 34 constituencies across five districts of the state. A total of 268 candidates, including 37 women, are in the fray in this phase of the elections.
West Bengal currently has 88,800 active coronavirus cases, according to the union health ministry. As many as 10,941people have lost their lives due to the deadly virus in the state.
Polling for phases 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the state elections took place on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17 and April 22 respectively.
Polling for the final phase will be held on April 29 while the counting of votes will take place on May 2.
(With ANI inputs)
