With the Sunday temperatures soaring as high as 44-plus degrees in Bankura triggering severe heat-wave like conditions the western districts of Bengal prepared for the second day of first phase of polling on Monday when 70 lakh voters will cast their vote across 31 constituencies in parts of Bankura, West Midnapore and Burdwan.
In view of the abnormally soaring temperatures which was likely to shoot further up by a degree or two in south Bengal districts the Election Commission of India had provided with medical kits and ORS for every booth apart making arrangements for medical staff and ambulances in many areas.
In the early overs of April the temperature should normally hover around 35-37 degrees, weather office in Kolkata which hit a high of 41 degrees Celsius said.
In a keenly yet fiercely contested battle the electors would seal the fates of some key players like State Opposition leader Suryakanto Mishra from Narayangarh, Dr Manas Bhunia a former Pradesh Congress president from Sabang, oldest MlA of the country the 91-year-old Gyan Singh Sohan Pal from Kharagpur, BJP State president Dilip Ghosh also from Kharagpur, Colonel Diptanshu Chowdhury a Kargil War veteran from Durgapur and Bengali film star Soham from Barjora.
Out of 163 candidates who are in the fray 21 are women. Among the main contestants are the ruling Trinamool Congress which is facing serious challenge from the left-Congress multi-party and the BJP.
Polling will be held at 8,465 polling stations amid tight security whence more than 33,000 strong CRPF personnel will man the booths while the State police will form the outer-most security ring.
In view of palpable tension throughout the State, Congress’ Anand Sharma said “the ECI should deploy additional forces and observers in vulnerable and sensitive areas. The State had in the past one month seen multiple cases of violence.
Meanwhile the Trinamool Congress is banking on its “development” card — showcasing new school and college buildings, maintained roads, beautification projects etc. The Opposition on the other hand is harping on the negative issues like Sharada, Narada, Trident light, SJDA and TET scams worth several thousand of crores, large-scale violence and “subversion of democracy that has forced even the parties like Congress and left to come together.