Will West Bengal give a fourth term to Mamata Banerjee, will Kerala stick to its tradition of rotational government and will Vijay make his script debut like MG Ramachandran in Tamil Nadu? These questions, which resonate with millions of voters, will be answered today when the counting of votes for five councils begins at 8am.
Postal ballots across 823 seats in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will be opened first, followed by electronic voting machines (EVMs).
While the Assembly elections will be a test for the NDA alliance, which emerged after a resounding victory in Bihar, it will also be a crucial battle for Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and MK Stalin’s DMK. This will also be a real test for the Left Democratic Front, as the defeat will be the first time since the 1960s that Left parties will not come to power in any Indian state.
Here’s everything you need to know about counting on five battlefields:
All eyes on Bengal: Manoj Kumar Agarwal, West Bengal’s chief electoral officer, said all arrangements have been made for a peaceful and transparent counting process and added that the process would be conducted in a “free and fair manner”.
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Counting on 293 seats in Bengal: Counting of votes will be conducted in only 293 of the total 294 seats as re-polling has been ordered in Valta as the poll body has announced re-poll in the Assembly seat in South 24 Parganas district due to “serious electoral irregularities”. Polling is now scheduled to take place on May 21, while the counting of votes will take place on May 24.
Security tightened across Bengal: Security was tightened across Bengal ahead of the vote counting, including the outer chambers in Kolkata. Heavy deployment of troops was carried out outside key locations, including Sakawat Memorial Government Girls’ High School in Mamata’s Bhabanipur area and Netaji Indoor Stadium.
Changing of the Guard in Tamil Nadu?: The vote counting process in Chennai will be closely watched as the state recorded a record turnout of 82.24 percent. While exit polls have shown another term for MK Stalin’s DMK, pollsters have not ruled out the option of TVK’s Vijay emerging as a surprise winner. While Tamil Nadu has traditionally seen a direct contest between the DMK and AIADMK alliance, the outcome could be a triangular contest.
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Three Layer Security in Chennai: Security was enhanced with a three-tier arrangement to regulate movement and maintain order. Prominent counting centres, including Loyola College, Queen Mary College, and Anna University are under intense surveillance. High-resolution surveillance cameras have also been installed in all buildings, covering entry and exit points, counting halls, and surrounding areas.
BJP eyes a hat-trick in Assam: The BJP-led NDA is hoping to achieve a hat-trick in Assam. The vote counting process will be conducted in 40 vote counting centers in the state, which will decide the fate of 722 candidates from 126 electoral districts. 25 companies, each with about 100 personnel, of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed to guard the counting centers and strong rooms.
Congress looks forward to making a comeback in Kerala: Kerala has traditionally seen a rotating government, with the LDF and the United Democratic Front seeing replacement governments every five years. However, this streak was broken by the Pinarayi Vijayan government, which has been in power for two consecutive terms since 2016. However, opinion polls favored the Congress-led United Democratic Front this time. If the LDF loses Kerala, it will be the first time since the 1960s that Left parties will not come to power in any Indian state. The BJP-led NDA is also trying to gain a foothold in the state. The saffron party has fielded several prominent candidates in Kerala this time.
Also read: Party has left the building: The rise of parallel politics in Bengal
Who will lead Puducherry?: The NDA, which includes AINRC, BJP, AIADMK and LJK, is facing a challenge from the Congress-DMK-VCK alliance. However, pollsters have predicted a win for the NDA-led All India Congress (AINRC). A total of six counting centers have been set up across the Union Territory.
234 observers in five councils: The Election Commission sent 234 observers to count the votes, an observer for each electoral district in the council, to supervise the counting procedures.
Implications of the upcoming elections: The decisive Assembly elections will not only decide the fate of four states and one state. The result, especially in Bengal, will also have an impact on Uttar Pradesh, where elections are scheduled to be held next year. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned aggressively in Bengal ahead of the elections and made an effort to promote his model of governance. While his opponent, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, supported Mamata. The TMC’s loss in Bengal could dent the opposition’s confidence, especially after the setback in Bihar.
