Kolkata:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee is contesting the Bhowanipore Assembly seat in Kolkata today which falls under Kolkata South Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency. The state's PWD minister and Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Bakshihad recently vacated the seat to enable Mamata Banerjee to fight from this constituency.
She is not a member of the State Assembly and as per Constitutional requirement, needs to become a member of the legislature within six months of assuming the office of the Chief Minister.
Ma Banerjee, who took over the reins of the state on May 20 after her party recorded a landslide victory in the Assembly polls ousting the Left Front after a long 34 years, is currently a Lok Sabha MP from Kolkata (South) constituency.
The CPM has, meanwhile, fielded Nandini Mukhopadhaya, a Jadavpur University professor, against the Chief Minister.
Congress, an ally of the Trinamool Congress, and BJP have not fielded any candidate against Ms Banerjee in the seat saying it was a political gesture.
The seat fell vacant after sitting CPM legislator Mustafa Bin Quasem jumped to death here on May 29.
There are a total 2,12,821 voters in Bhowanipore who will exercise their franchise in 262 booths in Bhowanipur. The number of voters at Basirhat North constituency is 1,93,135 and the number of booths are 239.
The state election commission sources said adequate security arrangements have been made including deployment of CRPF personnel for peaceful polling in both constituencies.
(With PTI inputs)