West Bengal recorded its highest ever voter turnout since independence, with polls in both phases witnessing over 92 per cent turnout, as the state now awaits the polls and final results.
Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Development Election Commissioner of India, said, “Highest voter turnout ever West Bengal in both the first and second phases since independence – chunav ka parv, paschim bengal ka garv.
The first phase, which was conducted on April 23, witnessed a turnout of 91.78 percent, while the second and final phase on April 29 recorded 91.71 percent, according to data from the Election Commission of India.
TMC vs BJP battle
The contest in the state is primarily seen as a direct battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP. With both parties showing confidence after the first phase, the high participation rate only intensified claims and counter-claims.
The unusually high turnout has become a major talking point, with each of the major political players interpreting it to their advantage.
While the Trinamool Congress (TMC) expressed confidence in the strong performance, saying it would win at least 100 of the 152 seats that went to the polls in the first phase, the BJP maintained that it was confident of winning 110 seats in the same phase.
Over 2.22 crore voters were eligible to cast their votes in the final phase, including 1,64,35,627 men and 1,57,37,418 women, reflecting a large number of voters in key battleground constituencies.
Key constituencies and past performance
Among the most closely watched seats in the second phase were Bhabanipur and Tolegang. These districts are located within an area where the military council performed strongly in the 2021 House of Representatives elections, winning 123 seats out of 142.
For the BJP, this phase represents an opportunity to expand its presence among urban Bhadralok voters and the Matua community. For the TMC, the focus remains on retaining its dominance in the region to secure a fourth consecutive term for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The counting of votes and results is scheduled for May 4.
