Kolkata, April 21 -- Campaigning ended for the first phase of the assembly election in West Bengal on Tuesday with political parties giving a strong push to their campaign on 152 seats where voters will exercise their franchise on April 23.

The polling will decide the electoral fate of 1, 478 candidates. The poll battle saw sharp exchanges between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Congress and CPI-M, who had allied in the last assembly polls, are fighting separately.

BJP repeatedly raised the issue of infiltrators, law and order situation and fear among sections of voters, while Trinamool Congress sought to portray it as "anti-Bengali". The BJP has also promised the implementation of the seventh pay commission recommendations a...