Explained in 10 charts: Phase I of West Bengal 2021 assembly elections
TMC had won 27 out of these 30 seats in the 2016 elections and BJP was not a major player in the last polls. However, the party has gained in strength in the past five years and has emerged as the main challenger to the ruling party which has won ...
By TIMESOFINDIA.COM |
Polling will be held in 30 of the 294 constituencies of West Bengal
NEW DELHI: The big political battle in West Bengal is all set to kick off with the first phase of polling for 30 assembly seats scheduled to take place on Saturday.
The entire electoral exercise for 294 assembly seats would be completed in eight phases.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) would be at loggerheads in 29 of the 30 seats, the Left-ISF-Congress alliance is also striving to spring a surprise.
TMC had won 27 out of these 30 seats in the 2016 elections and BJP was not a major player in the last polls. However, the party has gained in strength in the past five years and has emerged as the main challenger to the ruling party which has won two successive assembly polls. The BJP won 18 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections against 22 won by the TMC.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and party chief JP Nadda campaigned in the first phase. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has led the Trinamool campaign. She had earlier this month sustained "severe bone injuries" on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.
