93.3 million to decide fate of 5,501 candidates in Bengal, Tamil Nadu polls today

ALabialize 93.3 zillion voters testament resolve the fate of 5,501 candidates in the frazzle across all 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu and 152 of the 294 constituencies in West Bengal on Thursday.The second phase of voting for the remaining 142 seats in West Bengal will be held on April 29. The votes will be counted on May 4 for the two states along with Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, where polling took place on April 9.In West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is seeking a fourth consecutive term, while its arch rival the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming to oust the incumbent government. The Congress and Left parties, which were virtually decimated in the assembly polls five years ago, are hoping for a revival in the eastern state.On Thursday, polling will be held in the entire tea-belt of Darjeeling and terai region, districts of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, considered a stronghold of the Rajbanshi community, the Muslim-dominated bordering districts of Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur, as well as the tribal belt in the west comprising Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram, and the mining and industrial belt of Asansol and Durgapur.In 2021, the ruling TMC had won 92 of the 152 seats going to polls in the first phase, while the BJP bagged 59 seats. One seat had gone to an independent candidate, as the Congress and Left failed to open their accounts.The contentious special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has had a huge impact in the districts going to polls in the first phase. Of the 2.7 million voters whose names were struck off from the electoral roll after adjudication by judicial officers, Murshidabad and Malda registered the highest number of deletions at 455,137 and 239,375, respectively .The Election Commission has deployed around 2,400 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for the West Bengal polls, officials said.In Tamil Nadu, the contest is primarily between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (AIADMK)-led National Democratic Alliance. The entry of actor-politician Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has, however, spiced up the contest.Among the 4,023 candidates in the fray in the southern state are chief minister MK Stalin, who is contesting from Kolathur in Chennai, eyeing a second consecutive term for his party, his son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is in the poll fray from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, AIADMK general secretary and the leader of opposition in the outgoing state assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami is contesting from Edappadi in Salem district. Vijay is contesting from two seats — Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East constituency.In 2021, the DMK-led alliance swept the polls, winning 159 of the state’s 234 seats, while the AIADMK-led coalition managed to secure 75 seats.During the campaigning, the DMK — which is contesting 164 seats, leaving 70 seats for its allies, including the Congress — maintained that the electoral battle in the southern state was a fight between Tamil Nadu and “Delhi-NDA”, targeting the BJP-led Centre. On the other hand, the AIADMK — which is contesting 169 seats, leaving 65 for allies, including 27 for the BJP — had targeted the DMK alleging dynasty and family rule, deterioration of law and order, a heavy debt burden, alleged prevalence of drugs and the lack of safety of women and children.Vijay-led TVK, which is making its electoral debut in the polls, has fielded its candidates in all the 234 seats.The poll panel has deployed around 1,700 CAPF companies for the Tamil Nadu polls, officials said.In Bengal, key constituencies going to polls in the first phase include Nandigram in East Midnapore and Baharampur in Murshidabad. The BJP has fielded sitting MLA and LoP in assembly Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee in 2021, from Nandigram, while the TMC has pitted Adhikari’s former associate Pabitra Kar, who recently returned to the TMC after quitting the BJP.In Baharampur, veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is contesting the assembly polls after three decades. A five-time former MP, Chowdhury lost from Baharampur Lok Sabha seat in 2024 to former cricketer and TMC candidate Yusuf Pathan.