West Bengal polls: Left Front releases second list of 32 candidates

The Left Front announced its second list of 32 candidates for the West Bengal Assembly polls, bringing its total declared candidates to 224. Key figures include Pasang Sherpa and Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. Elections will be held in two phases.

Left Front Candidate Lists

The Left Front on Thursday released its second list of 32 candidates for the 294 seats West Bengal Assembly elections next month.

The announcement comes two days after the alliance declared its first list comprising 192 candidates. The newly released second list includes notable names such as Pasang Sherpa, Basudeb Barman, and Anwarul Haque. The first list featured outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and Communist Party of India (Marxist) central committee member Minakshi Mukherjee.

Election Schedule and Phases

The West Bengal Assembly election will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Counting of votes for both phases will be conducted on May 4.

First Phase Details

As per the ECI, the first phase covering 152 Assembly constituencies will begin with the issuance of the gazette notification on March 30. The last date for filing nominations for this phase is April 6, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 7. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until April 9. Polling for the first phase will be held on April 23.

Second Phase Details

For the second phase, which covers 142 Assembly constituencies, the gazette notification will be issued on April 2. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until April 13.

Political Landscape and Context

In West Bengal, the Legislative Assembly consists of 294 seats, with the primary contest expected to be between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The last assembly election in the state was held in eight phases in 2021 amid an intense contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Mamata Banerjee and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Congress and Left Front drew blank in the last state polls.

TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, has been in power in the state since 2011. (ANI)

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