Elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry will be held from March 27 and the results will be announced on May 2, the Election Commission has said. Polls are to be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Bengal will vote in eight phases, March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Tamil Nadu and Kerala will vote in a single round on April 6. Puducherry will also vote on the same day. Assam will vote on March 27, April 1 and April 6. More than 18 crore are eligible to vote in these elections, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said.
Bengal is hurtling towards the most high-stakes battle of all with the two-time Chief Minister facing a tough challenge from the BJP. Her Trinamool Congress has been losing leaders - including her most trusted strategists -- to the BJP and the bleed hasn't stopped. She also accuses the BJP of using central agencies to hound her party men with multiple investigations.
In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK will face its first state election since the death of its charismatic and powerful leader J Jayalalithaa. The opposition DMK-Congress swept the 2019 national election and hopes to continue its good run. The BJP, never a big player in Tamil Nadu, has more expectations from neighbouring Puducherry, which was placed under President's Rule after the Congress government collapsed.
Here are the Assembly Elections 2021 Highlights:
West Bengal: BJP workers tore posters, vandalised party office & staged a protest after Arindam Bhattacharya was announced as party candidate from Jagaddal Assembly constituency.
- ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2021
"We can't accept Arindam as our candidate, we want Arun Brahma as our candidate," says a protestor pic.twitter.com/k0e9NKnJqT
I have not decided yet. I have received the invitation from BJP high command but I am yet to make a decision: TMC's Dibyendu Adhikari when asked if he will join BJP pic.twitter.com/93SGCoQ4TP
- ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2021
Women's Rights Groups In Assam Raise Demands Ahead Of Assembly ElectionsIncreased reservation for women in elected bodies, adequate security for them to earn their livelihoods, equitable economic participation, better health and education facilities are among the major highlights that women rights groups in Assam have demanded from political parties contesting the assembly election.
This is Assam Congress's official song & it is all set to send waves of positivity & hope, touching every single person with the idea of an empowered future that lies ahead for them through our 5 guarantees!#Congressor5Guaranteepic.twitter.com/FZAd0H3TzP
- Jitendra Singh Alwar (@JitendraSAlwar) March 18, 2021
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) releases a list of candidates for the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth phases of #WestBengalElections2021 pic.twitter.com/yzlo3otLfz
- ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2021
Actor Arun Govil joins BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi. #JoinBJP pic.twitter.com/eiI1aCdRRt
- BJP (@BJP4India) March 18, 2021
Bengal Election 2021: PM Modi Responds To Mamata Banerjee's DarePrime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today as he raised the poll pitch ahead of the eight-phased assembly elections in the state. The Prime Minister used the Trinamool Congress's election slogan - "Khela Hobe (game on)" - and took a swipe at the ruling party.
