West Bengal election sees massive Phase 1 turnout

The first phase of the 2026 West Bengal state election concluded with a massive reported voter turnout of 93.19%. Ahead of the second phase of polling, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Gyanendra Pratap Singh conducted a confidence-building march with troops in the Diamond Harbour constituency, which is represented by Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee. The event is part of the intense political campaigning in the state, where Home Minister Amit Shah has also recently vowed the BJP would block the construction of a mosque.