Elections for all 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu and 152 of West Bengal’s 294 seats go to the polls on Wednesday in what is a summer of elections, with polling having concluded in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry on April 9.
In Tamil Nadu, more than 5.73 crore voters are set to decide the fate of 4,023 candidates in a three-way contest primarily between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, as Chief Minister MK Stalin seeks to retain power while AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami aims to return to office after five years. However, the Dravidian heavyweights face a tough fight, with the electoral debut of actor Vijay’s TVK adding a new dimension to the contest.
In West Bengal, over 3.60 crore voters, including nearly 1.75 crore women, are eligible to vote in the first of two phases covering 152 of the state’s 294 seats, which will shape the contest between the three-term CM Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the BJP, which is seeking to form the government for the first time in the state.
The second phase, covering 142 seats and focusing on Kolkata and surrounding districts, is scheduled for April 29. Polling in both states will begin at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm.
Counting of votes in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will take place on May 4, along with Kerala, Assam and the union territory of Puducherry.
West Bengal goes to the first phase of polling on Thursday in a tightly contested Assembly election that has sharpened into a polarised battle over identity, citizenship and political dominance, even as traditional debates on jobs and corruption recede.
Voting will be held across 152 of the state’s 294 seats, spanning all 54 constituencies in north Bengal and parts of Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum and Hooghly. Over 3.60 crore voters, including nearly 1.75 crore women, are eligible to cast their ballots.
The first phase is widely seen as crucial for both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is banking on north Bengal to retain its political relevance in the state. For the TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the challenge is to prevent a BJP surge in its traditional weak zones.
Campaign rhetoric has centred on allegations and counter-allegations over governance, infiltration and voter roll revisions, with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and deletion of names emerging as a flashpoint across several districts.
The Election Commission has deployed 2,450 companies of central forces, with over 8,000 polling stations classified as sensitive, underscoring the intensity of the contest.
The phase also includes a series of high-profile and closely watched battles across north Bengal’s tea gardens, hill constituencies and border districts, each shaped by distinct local concerns ranging from wages and jobs to identity politics.
Counting of votes for all phases will take place on May 4.
Seats in Phase: 1: 152 of 294
Total voters: Over 3.60 crore electors
Women voters: Nearly 1.75 crore
Polling coverage: North Bengal (all 54 seats) + parts of Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, Hooghly
Central forces deployed: 2,450 companies
Sensitive booths: Over 8,000 polling stations
Election focus: High-security deployment due to polarised contest
Tamil Nadu heads into a decisive Assembly election on Thursday after months of high-decibel campaigning, setting up a multi-cornered contest that will test the durability of the state’s Dravidian political order. Over 5.73 crore voters will decide the fate of 4,023 candidates across 234 constituencies, with polling scheduled from 7 am to 6 pm. The results will be declared on May 4.
The ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, is seeking a renewed mandate on the back of its “Dravidian Model” governance pitch, with allies including the Congress, VCK, DMDK and left parties. Stalin has framed the contest as a larger ideological battle, pitching it as “Delhi versus Tamil Nadu” while promising continued welfare-driven development under the “Dravidian Model 2.0”
The AIADMK, led by Edappadi K Palaniswami and aligned with the BJP, is attempting a comeback after five years in opposition, campaigning on promises of welfare expansion and corruption-free governance. The opposition has also sharpened its attack on the DMK’s family politics narrative.
Adding a fresh layer to the contest is actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which is making its electoral debut across all seats, injecting uncertainty into a traditionally bipolar contest amid high-pitched populist rhetoric with the Kollywood star at its centre. TVK chief Vijay is contesting from two seats, Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur, as the party seeks to gatecrash a political system long dominated by the two Dravidian majors.
The campaign has also drawn national political attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi weighing in on the stakes. Security has been tightened across the state, with over 1.2 lakh police personnel and 3.4 lakh government staff deployed for poll duty. Counting centres have already been set up ahead of the high-stakes vote.
Total voters: 5.73 crore+ electors
Seats: 234 Assembly constituencies
Candidates: 4,023
Polling hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Women voters: 2.93 crore
Male voters: 2.80 crore
Third gender voters: 7,728
First-time voters: 14.59 lakh
Service voters: 68,501
Postal votes received: 4.18 lakh
Police deployment: Over 1.2 lakh personnel
Government staff on duty: 3.4 lakh
Counting centres: 62 across the state