India, April 24 -- As Bengal voted in phase one across 152 seats on Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Home Minister Amit Shah steered rival 'war rooms' from Kalighat and Salt Lake, tracking real-time turnout and booth-level feedback in a high-stakes electoral battle.

Banerjee was accompanied by her nephew and party's general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, whereas Shah was accompanied by senior BJP leaders, including Union minister Bhupendra Yadav.

Sporadic violence, intimidation and assaults on BJP candidates cast a shadow over polling in several pockets, as West Bengal recorded brisk voting in the first phase of the assembly elections on Thursday, with turnout climbing to 78.77 per cent of 3.60 crore electors by 3 pm. Fr...