For the first time, West Bengal may be casting votes on religious lines

Even the first election in 1952, held after the partition, was focused on development, not religion; but this time Mamata's appeasement politics seems to have driven a wedge between voters

For the first time in the history of independent India, West Bengal is expected to have voted largely on religious lines during the past six phases of the ongoing general elections and may maintain the same stance for the final phase of elections slated on Sunday.

The alleged discontent with the state’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s appeasement policies with the minorities especially the Muslims, is believed to have played a part.

Runa Sen, a homemaker from one of the older rich families from Kolkata North, notes that even at the time Kolkata (then Calcutta) witnessed the ‘Week of the Long Knives’,