West Bengal recorded a huge 89.99% voter turnout by 5 pm in Phase 2 of Assembly elections, comfortably beating 80.4% seen in the same seats in 2021. Purba Bardhaman led with 92.46 per cent, while Kolkata North recorded 87.77 per cent. Officials expect the final figure to rise further. The phase is crucial as voting took place in TMC strongholds.
West Bengal recorded a massive voter turnout of around 90 per cent by 6 pm on Wednesday in the final phase of the Assembly elections. With polling still continuing for voters already in queues, the final figure is expected to rise even further. The turnout has already crossed the 80.4 per cent recorded in the same 142 seats during the 2021 Assembly elections. Strong grassroots campaigning, intense political rivalry and high public interest helped push turnout well above the 2021 level for the same constituencies.
The huge turnout showed strong public enthusiasm as polling for all 294 Assembly seats came to a close.
Purba Bardhaman tops the turnout chart
Purba Bardhaman recorded the highest turnout at 92.46 per cent by 5 pm. Hooghly followed with 90.34 per cent, while Nadia registered 90.28 per cent. Howrah saw 89.44 per cent voting. North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas also reported very high turnout, both remaining close to the 90 per cent mark.
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High-stakes battle between TMC and BJP
The main contest is between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress, which is aiming for a fourth straight term, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is hoping for a major breakthrough in the state.
Campaigning in West Bengal has been intense, colourful and highly competitive. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress has focused on welfare schemes, Bengali identity and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's leadership.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has centred its campaign on corruption allegations, law and order and promises of political change.
Senior leaders from both parties have held massive rallies across the state, especially in South Bengal and Kolkata. Roadshows, door-to-door outreach, social media campaigns and local meetings have kept the election atmosphere charged. The high turnout suggests that voters are closely following the campaign and are eager to shape the state's future.
Final turnout may rise further
Polling stations officially closed in the evening, but anyone who entered before closing time will still be allowed to vote. Election officials believe the final turnout could move closer to the 95 per cent mark.
The huge participation shows strong public interest in this crucial phase of the election.
Earlier in the day, turnout had already touched 78.68 per cent by 3.30 pm, showing a steady flow of voters throughout the day.
High-stakes battle in Bengal
The second phase is being seen as extremely important. Voting has moved into South Bengal and Kolkata, areas considered traditional strongholds of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is aiming for another victory, while the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying hard to expand its footprint in the state.
The contest is widely seen as a direct fight between the TMC and the BJP.
Massive polling arrangements
The Election Commission set up 41,001 polling stations for this phase. These included 39,301 main polling stations and 1,700 auxiliary booths.
A total of 8,845 polling stations were managed entirely by women. There were also 13 booths managed by persons with disabilities and 258 model polling stations.
Webcasting was arranged at every single polling station to ensure smooth and transparent voting.
Key leaders cast votes
Several senior leaders and candidates were seen voting during the day. These included Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, TMC MP Mitali Bag, and BJP candidate Ratna Debnath.
Despite the peaceful voting in most places, some areas reported clashes and allegations of intimidation. Both the TMC and the BJP accused each other of trying to influence voters.
Results on May 4
Votes will be counted on May 4. Results for West Bengal will be announced along with Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
With such a high turnout, Phase 2 has become one of the most closely watched stages of the election.
(With ANI inputs)
