Election 2026 LIVE: Bengal heads for Phase 2 vote, Mamata Banerjee among over 1,000 candidates in fray

ELection 2026 unrecorded: Voting in w Bengal's high-stakes election combat testament terminate on Wednesday, with more than 3.22 crore voters eligible to cast their votes in the second phase of Assembly polls across 142 seats. Mamata Banerjee is contesting in the second phase from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency.Meanwhile, just a day ahead of the second phase of polls in West Bengal, politics is heating up on the deployment of an ‘encounter specialist’ and IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma. TMC supporters staged a protest in Falta of South 24 Parganas district on Tuesday, accusing Election Commission-appointed Indian Police Service officer Ajay Pal Sharma of the Uttar Pradesh cadre of "intimidating" party workers and leaders ahead of the second phase of polling in West Bengal.While the BJP said he was deployed as “observer” to ensure smooth conducts of polls, the TMC brought up the IPS officer's history of using his post for “political vendetta”.In another big escalation, the Trinamool Congress accused BJP spokesperson Ajay Alok of issuing “death threats” to chief minister Mamata Banerjee.Both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress seem sure of their victory in West Bengal as the state heads to the second phase of elections on Wednesday, April 29. Results of elections to Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry and Kerala will be announced a few days later on May 4.Movement restricted through Bangladesh border routes: The movement of people and vehicles on the Bangladesh border routes in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district has reportedly been restricted ahead of the final phase of voting in Bengal tomorrow. Besides, teams of NIA have also been spread across Bengal districts ahead of voting tomorrow.Campaigning ends in Bengal: Leaders were seen giving one last push to their respective political parties in Bengal as campaigning ended for the second phase of the assembly election on Monday. From the TMC's side, West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Mamata Banerjee held a padyatra in Bhabanipur Assembly constituency and interacted with the people ahead of the silence period. For the BJP, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union home minister Amit Shah held separate roadshows in Kalyani assembly constituency and Behala Paschim Assembly constituency, respectively.PM Modi's letter to Bengal: In an open letter to the people of Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that he aims to transform every challenge in West Bengal into an opportunity. “Despite the scorching heat and the multitude of rallies, I did not feel even the slightest fatigue during this election in Bengal. These rallies and roadshows have felt like a pilgrimage to me,” PM Modi said.TVK chief Vijay's temple visit: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay was seen visiting a temple in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchendur recently, with just days left for the announcement of election results in the state. He visited the Vishwaroopa Swami at Subramaniya Swamy Temple, famously known as the Tiruchendur Murugan Temple.Poll tampering attempt in Kozhikode? Head of Congress's Kozhikode unit, K Praveen Kumar, has reportedly alleged attempts to tamper with the election process. According to PTI, he demanded that all VVPAT slips in the district be counted. The Congress had recently alleged that the strongroom where EVMs of the Perambra constituency were stored had been opened by the returning officer-a claim denied by the Election Commission.‘Third way pitch in Bengal’: Amid a largely two-party choice in Bengal, Congress and the AIMIM seem to be hinting at a “third way”. West Bengal Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir said that the party is a necessary “third option” in the state. In Mumbai, AIMIM leader Waris Pathan also exuded faith in the party's poll pitch and chances in Bengal.