NEW DELHI: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that 5th phase polling tomorrow will reaffirm "lotus" blooming in the East while India's most important Eastern State of West Bengal is all set to maintain the high voter turnout record of the previous four phases.

Speaking to media on the eve of the 5th phase polling to seven Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal of which he was assigned In-Charge, Dr Jitendra Singh said, in the ongoing election process, in each of the four phases so far, among all the States and Union Territories of the country, West Bengal has consistently recorded a comparatively higher voter turnout.

Citing figures, he said, while phase-1 recorded a voter turnout of 81.91 percent in West Bengal, phase-three and phase-four recorded a voter turnout of 81.52 percent and 80.22 percent respectively. Only the second phase recorded a slightly lower voter turnout of 76.58 percent but that too was higher compared to most of the other States, he observed.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, in spite of scorching heat and prolonged election process, the consistent high turnout of voter in the eastern State of West Bengal is an indicator of people's popular support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies and at the same time, it also reflects people's disenchantment with the rule of violence and intimidation under Mamata Banerjee led TMC government.

The border constituencies of Bangaon and Barrackpore in 24 Parganas, said Dr Jitendra Singh, returned BJP in 2019 and would do so again this time as well. The prestigious Howrah seat which BJP lost last time is now ready to go to the BJP kitty by electing the BJP candidate who also happens to be a Physician and a former Mayor, he said.

As far as the BJP is concerned, the vote is for development, equal opportunities for youth and effective implementation of the people-centric welfare schemes initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the Minister.

The heavy turnout of masses at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rallies, said Dr Jitendra Singh, is an indication of the vengeance with which the people of this eastern State want to teach Mamata Banerjee and her goons a lesson. It is also a message to be conveyed across the country that Bengal is now ready to be a part of the ‘Vikshit Bharat Yatra' of new India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , he said.