The campaign for the first phase of West Bengal's assembly elections, scheduled for April 23, 2023, concluded with sharp exchanges between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). With 152 seats at stake, over 3.60 crore voters are eligible to participate, including approximately 1.84 crore male voters and 1.75 crore female voters. Union Home Minister Amit Shah warned against violence and promised 100,000 jobs annually for the youth if the BJP wins. He also criticized TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, suggesting her focus is on her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, rather than the public. In response, Banerjee accused the BJP of attempting to control local food choices, claiming that if they come to power, Bengalis will be restricted from eating fish and meat. Amidst these exchanges, reports of violence have surfaced, leading to the deployment of 2,450 companies of central paramilitary forces to ensure election security.