- 91 lakh voters removed from rolls, West Bengal saw 91% turnout in phase one polls
- Women voters played a crucial role, supporting both Trinamool Congress and BJP
- Trinamool pressured women to vote by linking it to Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, Adhir Chowdhury said
91 lakh voters deleted from its electoral rolls, West Bengal recorded a 91 per cent turnout in the first phase of Assembly polls today. But more than the overall turnout, it is the presence of women that's key to this election, veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury indicated today.
Women have always been the core supporters of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. But their overwhelming presence at the hustings has been interpreted positively this time by both Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
While Trinamool leaders said they were there show support for the party, the BJP declared that it was their anger that they had come to project through the ballot box following events like the RG Kar rape case and the Sandeshkhali sex abuse.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Adhir Chowdhury gave a completely different spin to the matter.
Read: PM Modi's "10 Guarantees" For Bengal Women Ahead Of 2nd Phase Of Voting
"The Trinamool has both enticed and intimidated female voters, warning them that if they did not vote for the party, the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme would be discontinued," said the 70-year-old.
He, however, added that a high voter turnout among women is, "in itself, a very positive development for our society".
Asked if the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme -- a financial assistance scheme for the poor -- has had an impact, he answered in the affirmative.
There is the "fear that if Mamata Banerjee does not return to power, the scheme will be shut down," he said.
When pointed out that the BJP also promised a scheme that would provide more financial assistance, he said there is a fundamental difference between a party that is currently providing money and another that is just promising to do so in future.
Read: How Mamata Banerjee's Schemes For Women Got Her A Massive Support Base
Chowdhury has been the political arch-rival of Mamata Banerjee since she broke away from the Congress almost three decades ago. He has accused her of trying to destroy the Congress in the state and working as a covert ally of the BJP.
He had continued his verbal attacks on her even when the two parties were on the same side in the INDIA bloc, leading to some of the worst instances of falling out at the Central level.
Banerjee's political rise has certainly spelled an intense dry patch for the Congress in the state that even an alliance with the Left Front in 2021 has not been able to overcome.
Asked if by contesting the elections independently this time, the Congress has achieved its objectives, Chowdhury said, "We are engaged in a struggle. To a certain extent, we will succeed in reclaiming our political ground".
