Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and wife Dona cast their votes in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls in South 24 Parganas. Ganguly commented on the high voter turnout as polling continued for 142 seats.
Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, along with his wife Dona Ganguly, on Wednesday cast their votes in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The couple cast their votes at a polling booth in South 24 Parganas amid tight security arrangements and voter participation across the constituency.
Polling for the second phase of the West Bengal elections is underway in several constituencies, with long queues of voters seen outside multiple booths since morning. Authorities have deployed security personnel to ensure peaceful voting, while election officials are closely monitoring turnout and polling arrangements.
High Voter Turnout
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, the former India captain commented on the voter turnout, noting that the previous phase had recorded over 90 per cent polling. He added that the final figures would become clear by the evening. "In the previous phase too, the voting percentage was 90 plus. Let's see, we will get to know by this evening," Ganguly said.
West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 39.97 per cent until 11 am on Wednesday, as polling for the 142 seats in the second phase of Assembly elections is underway. According to the Election Commission of India, Purba Bardhaman stood at the top, with a voting percentage of 44.50 per cent, followed by Hooghly, which has witnessed 43.12 per cent polling until 11 am. Kolkata North and Kolkata South recorded a voter turnout of 38.39 per cent and 36.78 per cent, respectively. Nadia also recorded a sizeable turnout of 40.34 per cent.
High-Stakes Second Phase
The main fight in West Bengal in the 2026 elections is between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. The second phase of the polling is widely seen as the 'litmus test' for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as voting moves into the party's traditional fortresses in South Bengal and Kolkata.
The second phase covers 142 out of 294 seats in West Bengal. The total electorate is around 3.21 crore, with 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 transgender voters.1,448 candidates are in the fray, including 220 women at 41,001 polling stations, with over 8,000 managed entirely by women.
While 142 seats are up for grabs, all eyes are on the 'Big Five' urban contests. Apart from the high-stakes seat of Bhabanipur, Tollyganj, the heart of the Bengali film industry, is a high-profile, star-studded battle. In the 2021 elections, the TMC dominated this specific belt, winning 123 of these 142 seats. For the BJP, this phase is about making inroads into the urban "bhadralok" vote and the Matua community. For the TMC, it is about holding the line to ensure a fourth consecutive term for Mamata Banerjee.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. (ANI)
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