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Voting underway in TN,WB, Gujarat and Maharashtra
New Delhi: Polling is in progress for the first phase of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, alongside by-elections in Gujarat and Maharashtra, amid tight security arrangements. Voting across all constituencies is scheduled to conclude at 6:00 pm on Thursday.
The by-elections were held following the demise of sitting legislators. In Gujarat, polling is being held in Umreth, while in Maharashtra, voters are casting ballots in Baramati and Rahuri.
Tamil Nadu is conducting its Assembly elections in a single phase, covering all 234 constituencies. West Bengal, on the other hand, is holding elections in two phases for its 294-member Assembly. The first phase includes 152 constituencies, while the remaining 142 will go to polls on April 29. Counting of votes for both states and the by-elections will take place on May 4.
According to the Election Commission of India, a total of 1,478 candidates are contesting in the first phase in West Bengal.
In Tamil Nadu, Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik stated that the electorate exceeds 5.73 crore voters, including over 2.93 crore women, 2.80 crore men, and 7,728 third-gender voters. The state also has more than 14.59 lakh first-time voters and over 68,000 service voters. Additionally, more than 4.18 lakh postal ballots have already been received. Authorities have set up 62 counting centres to ensure a smooth counting process.
The political contest in Tamil Nadu is primarily between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance-which includes the Congress, DMDK, and VCK-and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the BJP and PMK. While the DMK is relying on its governance record, the AIADMK-led alliance is aiming for a return to power. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also making his electoral debut with his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), potentially adding a new dimension to the contest.
In West Bengal, the election is expected to be a high-stakes battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Trinamool Congress is seeking a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP is attempting to build on its previous performance, when it won 77 seats.
In Maharashtra, the by-elections in Rahuri and Baramati were triggered by the deaths of MLAs Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile and Ajit Anantrao Pawar, respectively.
The Election Commission has stated that the counting of votes will take place on May 4, with results expected the same day. The overall election process is scheduled to conclude by May 6.
