Mamata accuses BJP of tapping her phone; Modi says CM's day is incomplete without abusing him

As the fifth phase of polling in West Bengal is underway Saturday, sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas. The security personnel continued to maintain a tight vigil and addressed a few incidents that were reported, an official at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said.

At 3 pm, the state has registered 69.40 per cent voter turnout.

A delegation of BJP leaders, led by senior leader Swapan Dasgupta, urged Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab to take note of a purported audio clip — in which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is heard proposing a rally with the bodies of Cooch Behar firing victims – as "such a move could lead to more tension" in the state amid the ongoing elections.

My phone is being tapped, will order CID probe: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that her phone is being tapped and said she will order a CID probe into it. Addressing an election rally here, she accused the BJP of being involved in the conspiracy as the saffron party "cannot match" the ruling Trinamool Congress' campaigning on development programmes.

"They (BJP leaders) are even eavesdropping on our everyday conversation. It seems they are tapping our phone calls on cooking and other household chores.

"I will order a CID probe into the issue. I will not spare anyone involved in such snooping activities. I have already come to know who is behind this," the TMC supremo said.

Banerjee also claimed she has information that the "central forces are being involved in such acts with some agents". "It is clear that the BJP is behind it though they claimed they have no role in it," she said.

A total of 45 assembly constituencies of West Bengal are undergoing polls on Saturday with over one crore voters getting to decide the fate of 342 candidates in the fifth phase of elections. Amid a raging second wave of Covid infection, voting is being held at 15,789 polling stations spread across 16 seats in North 24 Parganas, eight seats in Purba Bardhaman and Nadia each, seven seats in Jalpaiguri, five seats in Darjeeling and one in Kalimpong district.