- Voting begins in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu
- 3.6 crore voters to decide 152 seats in Bengal Phase 1
- BJP vs All India Trinamool Congress battle intensifies
- DMK, AIADMK-BJP and Vijay in Tamil Nadu contest
GG News Bureau
Chennai/Kolkata, 23rd April: Voting began on Thursday in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, marking a crucial phase in Assembly elections where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to expand its footprint.
In West Bengal, polling is underway in 152 of the state’s 294 constituencies across 16 districts in the first phase. Key constituencies include Nandigram, along with north Bengal regions such as Darjeeling, Siliguri, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar. Around 3.6 crore voters are expected to cast their ballots. The second phase is scheduled for April 29.
The contest in the state is primarily between the BJP and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, amid a political row over voter list revisions.
In Tamil Nadu, polling is witnessing a three-way contest involving the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the AIADMK-BJP alliance, and actor-turned-politician Vijay, who has entered the electoral fray.
The DMK has centred its campaign on its “Dravidian Model” of governance and welfare schemes, while the AIADMK-BJP alliance has focused on issues of governance and allegations of corruption, promising administrative reforms.
Security arrangements have been put in place in both states to ensure smooth and peaceful polling.
