Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (April 21) alleged that the second COVID-19 wave in the country and its management is a "Modi-made disaster". Addressing an election rally at Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur district, the TMC chief asserted that West Bengal will be run only by a "Bengal engine government" and not by "Modi's double-engine".

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will not campaign in Kolkata anymore, announced All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien on his official Twitter handle on Sunday (April 18) night. The TMC leader has taken this decision in the view of rising COVID-19 infections in the state. The TMC leaders also added that the West Bengal CM will only hold one ‘symbolic’ meeting on the last day of campaigning in the city, which is April 26.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday (April 18, 2021) suspended all his impending public rallies in West Bengal due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation. The Wayanad MP took to his official Twitter account and also urged other political leaders to think over it. "In view of the Covid situation, I am suspending all my public rallies in West Bengal," he tweeted.

In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the national capital, the Delhi government has imposed a weekend curfew that has come into force since Friday (April 16, 2021) 10 PM and will remain in place till 6 AM on Monday. The weekend curfew in Delhi has started on a day when the national capital witnessed its biggest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases. Delhi on Friday recorded 19,486 new coronavirus infections alongside 141 deaths.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday (April 14) that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to destroy Bengal and its culture while addressing his first rally in West Bengal in this election season. Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP wants to destroy Bengal's culture, heritage and divide it. In Assam, they are doing the same thing; in Tamil Nadu, they are trying to do the same thing with their alliance partner AIADMK," adding "The BJP has nothing to offer except for hatred, violence and divisive politics."

The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks calling for consolidation of minority votes. The Commission said that it has found her speech violating the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the model code of conduct. The EC notice stated that Banerjee made an appeal to voters along communal lines while campaigning in Hooghly. Banerjee alleged poll rigging during the second phase of the assembly elections.

Amit Shah is scheduled to hold four roadshows in the poll bound West Bengal on Wednesday as a part of BJP’s campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections. The Union Home Minister will commence the series of his readshow from Singur at 12 pm, followed by the second roadshow in Domjur at 1:35 pm. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to hold four roadshows in the poll bound West Bengal on Wednesday as a part of BJP’s campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections.

At least 73.58 per cent of the total 2.74 crore voters exercised their franchise for the state assembly elections according to a preliminary assessment when polling drew to a close at 7 pm in Kerala on Tuesday, the Election Commission of India said. The massive exercise following COVID-19 health protocol involving over two lakh polling officers began at 7 AM and the last hour from 6 PM to 7 PM was set aside for COVID-19 patients and those under isolation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (April 6) appealed to the voters in poll-bound states to vote in record numbers. "Elections are taking place in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. I request the people in these places to vote in record numbers, particularly the young voters," tweeted Prime Minister Modi. The elections for Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu assemblies are being held in a single phase. In Assam, the polling for the third and final phase is going on today.