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V.K. Sasikala, once Jayalalithaa’s shadow, now leads her own campaign from a similar vehicle, evoking memories of the late leader’s roadshows. She delivers short speeches, indirectly criticizing AIADMK leaders and seeking public support, while her party fields candidates, primarily in southern districts, aiming for crucial votes and recalling her close association with Jayalalithaa.

The mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, a BJP candidate, filed her nomination wearing a saree inscribed with ‘Shaktirupena Sangsthita’. Accompanied by Smriti Irani and Biplab Deb, she reiterated her call to oust the TMC government, seeking justice for women in Bengal. Her movable assets are valued at Rs 19 lakh.

BJP’s Rakesh Singh, facing 91 cases including the Vidyasagar statue vandalism, filed his nomination for the Kolkata Port seat. Released on interim bail to contest polls, Singh, who spent five-and-a-half months in jail, carried a portrait of Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, asserting his innocence and vowing to campaign across the constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Trinamool Congress of failing to boost fish production in Bengal, a state known for its love of ‘maachh-bhaat’. He highlighted BJP’s focus on fisheries development and contrasted TMC’s alleged governance of fear with BJP’s trust-building. Mamata Banerjee retorted, asserting Bengal’s self-sufficiency in fish and questioning BJP’s stance on dietary

Murshidabad’s Shamsherganj and Lalgola constituencies saw the highest voter deletions post-adjudication, with 74,775 and 55,420 names removed respectively. This comes amidst a larger purge of 27 lakh voters across Bengal, sparking concerns and protests, particularly in Muslim-dominant and Matua-dominated areas. Electoral rolls for the second phase have been frozen, with a court review pending.

Congress insists on the Sriperumbudur seat, the memorial site of Rajiv Gandhi. K Selvaperunthagai, the incumbent MLA, is seeking reelection. However, his campaign faces challenges as constituents express dissatisfaction with his limited visits. He acknowledges the difficulty in frequent constituency visits due to his role as TNCC chief.

Bengal’s electoral rolls are in disarray as long-time voters, including a 97-year-old Partition refugee and a retired teacher, find their names struck off. Families are battling bureaucratic hurdles and stress, with one man dying in a tribunal queue. The process has left many disenfranchised, sparking protests and accusations of political manipulation.