After the ban imposed on her by the Election Commission (EC) ended on Tuesday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenged the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that she is a street fighter and fights from the battleground.

Speaking at a public rally in Barasat after her 24-hour campaigning ban ended, Banerjee said: "They have crores of money and have come to elections. You have money, you have mediators, you have hotels, you have all agencies of India. But even then do you know why you will lose? Because I am a street fighter, I fight from the battleground. I do not fight by giving instructions from above."

She also questioned why the BJP was rigorously trying to stop her with the help of all central institutions and agencies.

"From Delhi to entire India, BJP is taking all institutions to ensure I am stopped, Bengal is being humiliated and captured. I say clearly, we will not allow Bengal to become Gujarat; Bengal can't become Gujarat. There is no benefit in stopping me. If I am attacked, I can attack in reply as well," she added.

"During the last 24 hours, I could not campaign for elections and cannot campaign for 72 hours before the fifth phase. This means for four days, on one side, BJP will campaign, and I won't be able to do the same for Trinamool Congress (TMC). I leave the thinking to the public."

Challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that he is claiming that she has not done anything for the Matua community.

"I accept the challenge. If I have not done anything, I will resign from politics and if you are spewing lies without doing anything then you will do situps by holding your ears," she mentioned.

"Mamata Banerjee has talked about everyone. Mamata Banerjee is not BJP. Even if my party worker dies, I feel as much sad if a person from another party dies. I do not do politics with lies," she further said.

Earlier in the day, Mamata, who arrived at the Mayo road venue in the morning and began her sit-in next to a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Kolkata, turned to paints and canvases and produced at least two paintings while sitting on her wheelchair as she protested

The Election Commission had on Monday banned Mamata from campaigning in the ongoing state elections for 24 hours and said she had made "highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process".

The fifth phase of the eight-phased assembly elections will take place on Saturday.

After the ban imposed on her by the Election Commission (EC) ended on Tuesday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenged the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that she is a street fighter and fights from the battleground.

After the ban imposed on her by the Election Commission (EC) ended on Tuesday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenged the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that she is a street fighter and fights from the battleground. Speaking at a public rally in Barasat after her 24-hour campaigning ban ended, Banerjee said: "They have crores of money and have come to elections. You have money, you have mediators, you have hotels, you have all agencies of India. But even then do you know why you will lose? Because I am a street fighter, I fight from the battleground. I do not fight by giving instructions from above." She also questioned why the BJP was rigorously trying to stop her with the help of all central institutions and agencies. "From Delhi to entire India, BJP is taking all institutions to ensure I am stopped, Bengal is being humiliated and captured. I say clearly, we will not allow Bengal to become Gujarat; Bengal can't become Gujarat. There is no benefit in stopping me. If I am attacked, I can attack in reply as well," she added. "During the last 24 hours, I could not campaign for elections and cannot campaign for 72 hours before the fifth phase. This means for four days, on one side, BJP will campaign, and I won't be able to do the same for Trinamool Congress (TMC). I leave the thinking to the public." Challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that he is claiming that she has not done anything for the Matua community. "I accept the challenge. If I have not done anything, I will resign from politics and if you are spewing lies without doing anything then you will do situps by holding your ears," she mentioned. "Mamata Banerjee has talked about everyone. Mamata Banerjee is not BJP. Even if my party worker dies, I feel as much sad if a person from another party dies. I do not do politics with lies," she further said. Earlier in the day, Mamata, who arrived at the Mayo road venue in the morning and began her sit-in next to a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Kolkata, turned to paints and canvases and produced at least two paintings while sitting on her wheelchair as she protested The Election Commission had on Monday banned Mamata from campaigning in the ongoing state elections for 24 hours and said she had made "highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process". The fifth phase of the eight-phased assembly elections will take place on Saturday.

India polls: 'I am a street fighter, I fight from battleground', Mamata to BJP after EC ban

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the people of West Bengal have cleaned bowled TMC and hit so many fours and sixes that BJP has already scored a century of seats in the last four phases of the Assembly polls.&nbsp;

Addressing a public meeting in Bardhaman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "I am surprised from where she gets so much bitterness. Didi`s anger, bitterness, and frustration have been increasing. This is because people have cleaned the TMC in the last four phases. The people of Bengal have hit so many fours and sixes in these phases that BJP has already scored a century."

"Those who wanted to play 'khela' with you, people have now played `khela` with them. Didi has been cleaned bowled by the people of Nandigram and Bengal. The people of Bengal failed the plan of Didi.&nbsp;

She was preparing to hand over the captaincy of the party to Bhaipo (nephew), but the public caught her `khela` in time," said Prime Minister Modi.&nbsp;

Referring to the Congress and the Left regime in West Bengal, the Prime Minister said, "Didi`s entire team has been asked to go out of the field by the people of Bengal. She knows once Congress and Left went out of Bengal, they never came back. Didi once you go, will never come back again. TMC is going to lose."Polling for the first four phases has been concluded in West Bengal.&nbsp;

The fifth and sixth phases of the ongoing elections will take place on April 17 and April 22. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the people of West Bengal have cleaned bowled TMC and hit so many fours and sixes that BJP has already scored a century of seats in the last four phases of the Assembly polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the people of West Bengal have cleaned bowled TMC and hit so many fours and sixes that BJP has already scored a century of seats in the last four phases of the Assembly polls. Addressing a public meeting in Bardhaman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "I am surprised from where she gets so much bitterness. Didi`s anger, bitterness, and frustration have been increasing. This is because people have cleaned the TMC in the last four phases. The people of Bengal have hit so many fours and sixes in these phases that BJP has already scored a century." "Those who wanted to play 'khela' with you, people have now played `khela` with them. Didi has been cleaned bowled by the people of Nandigram and Bengal. The people of Bengal failed the plan of Didi. She was preparing to hand over the captaincy of the party to Bhaipo (nephew), but the public caught her `khela` in time," said Prime Minister Modi. Referring to the Congress and the Left regime in West Bengal, the Prime Minister said, "Didi`s entire team has been asked to go out of the field by the people of Bengal. She knows once Congress and Left went out of Bengal, they never came back. Didi once you go, will never come back again. TMC is going to lose."Polling for the first four phases has been concluded in West Bengal. The fifth and sixth phases of the ongoing elections will take place on April 17 and April 22. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

India polls: Didi clean-bowled, BJP has scored century in Bengal, says PM Modi

A three-cornered battle is on the cards in 31 assembly seats that are set to go to polls on Tuesday in the third phase of Bengal elections, with the BJP seeking to breach TMC fortresses, and the Left Front-ISF-Congress alliance hoping to make a mark in areas, where identity politics has gained ground.

More than 78.5 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise and decide the fate of 205 candidates -- prominent among them being BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, TMC minister Ashima Patra and CPM leader Kanti Ganguly in three districts - Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas.

Tight security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful voting, with 618 companies of CAPF deployed to guard 10,871 polling stations, all of which have been marked "sensitive" by the Election Commission. State police forces will also be deputed at strategic locations to aid the CAPF.

With the COVID-19 situation in the state taking a turn for the worse, polling will be held amid strict adherence to health protocols across all 31 constituencies -- 16 in South 24 Parganas (part II), seven in Howrah (part I) and eight in Hooghly (part I).

The TMC had won all but one seat of these 31 segments in the 2016 assembly elections. The Congress had managed to bag Amta constituency in Howrah district.

The Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, held by political heavyweight and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, will be closely watched, as four of its seven assembly segments will go to polls in the third phase, and the rest will follow suit in the fourth phase on April 10.

The Indian Secular Front (ISF), floated by Peerzada Abbas Siddiqui, has turned out to be a cause of concern for the TMC, as the outfit holds sway in several parts of South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, having sensed the ISF's potential to eat into her party's minority vote base, had been hitting out at Siddiqui, alleging that he has been propped up by the BJP, a charge vehemently denied by the cleric, who is taking on the ruling party with gusto.

Clashes between the ISF and TMC supporters have been reported from Bhangar and Canning East in South 24 Parganas, as the Siddiqui-led party gears up to give the ruling dispensation a tough fight in association with the Left Front and the Congress.

Adding to the ruling camp's woes, the BJP has fielded sitting MLA and TMC turncoat Dipak Halder, who wields considerable influence in the area.

Sharpening its attack on the TMC over issues ranging from corruption to political violence, the BJP held power-packed campaigns across the three districts over the past few days, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who addressed several public meetings.

Besides, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Smriti Irani held a slew of rallies in these areas.

The TMC chief, who is still recuperating from her injuries, traversed the length and breadth of the three districts on her wheelchair, highlighting her government's development schemes, and hurling barbs at the BJP over price rise, and other central government policies.

A three-cornered battle is on the cards in 31 assembly seats that are set to go to polls on Tuesday in the third phase of Bengal elections, with the BJP seeking to breach TMC fortresses, and the Left Front-ISF-Congress alliance hoping to make a mark in areas, where identity politics has gained ground.

A three-cornered battle is on the cards in 31 assembly seats that are set to go to polls on Tuesday in the third phase of Bengal elections, with the BJP seeking to breach TMC fortresses, and the Left Front-ISF-Congress alliance hoping to make a mark in areas, where identity politics has gained ground. More than 78.5 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise and decide the fate of 205 candidates -- prominent among them being BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, TMC minister Ashima Patra and CPM leader Kanti Ganguly in three districts - Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas. Tight security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful voting, with 618 companies of CAPF deployed to guard 10,871 polling stations, all of which have been marked "sensitive" by the Election Commission. State police forces will also be deputed at strategic locations to aid the CAPF. With the COVID-19 situation in the state taking a turn for the worse, polling will be held amid strict adherence to health protocols across all 31 constituencies -- 16 in South 24 Parganas (part II), seven in Howrah (part I) and eight in Hooghly (part I). The TMC had won all but one seat of these 31 segments in the 2016 assembly elections. The Congress had managed to bag Amta constituency in Howrah district. The Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, held by political heavyweight and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, will be closely watched, as four of its seven assembly segments will go to polls in the third phase, and the rest will follow suit in the fourth phase on April 10. The Indian Secular Front (ISF), floated by Peerzada Abbas Siddiqui, has turned out to be a cause of concern for the TMC, as the outfit holds sway in several parts of South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, having sensed the ISF's potential to eat into her party's minority vote base, had been hitting out at Siddiqui, alleging that he has been propped up by the BJP, a charge vehemently denied by the cleric, who is taking on the ruling party with gusto. Clashes between the ISF and TMC supporters have been reported from Bhangar and Canning East in South 24 Parganas, as the Siddiqui-led party gears up to give the ruling dispensation a tough fight in association with the Left Front and the Congress. Adding to the ruling camp's woes, the BJP has fielded sitting MLA and TMC turncoat Dipak Halder, who wields considerable influence in the area. Sharpening its attack on the TMC over issues ranging from corruption to political violence, the BJP held power-packed campaigns across the three districts over the past few days, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who addressed several public meetings. Besides, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Smriti Irani held a slew of rallies in these areas. The TMC chief, who is still recuperating from her injuries, traversed the length and breadth of the three districts on her wheelchair, highlighting her government's development schemes, and hurling barbs at the BJP over price rise, and other central government policies.

India polls: Bengal gets ready for third phase as BJP seeks to dislodge TMC