By IANS,
Kolkata : Campaigning for the fifth round of the six-phase West Bengal assembly elections ended Thursday as the state geared up for voting in 38 constituencies spread over four districts Saturday.
Campaigning in parts of West Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura and Burdwan districts, which are going to polls in this round, came to an end at 5 p.m. Thursday, 38 hours before balloting begins as stipulated by the polling laws.
Among the heavyweights in fray are state Health Minister Surjya Kanta Mishra and state Congress president Manas Bhuniya.
Leading political personalities like West Bengal Chief Minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Left Front chairman and CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose, former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee canvassed for their party candidates.
The fate of 193 candidates will be decided Saturday by a total electorate of 7,417,723.
The CPI-M is contesting in 32 constituencies, the Communist Party of India (CPI) one, Forward Bloc three, the Trinamool Congress 33, the Congress five and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 38 constituencies.
Polls for the 294-member assembly, which started April 18, will end May 10. The counting of votes will take place May 13.