Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will secure victories in all five states going to the polls, citing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking after the announcement of the election schedule, Shinde said the NDA would win “with full strength” in the upcoming assembly elections under Modi’s leadership.
The poll schedule was announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI), which confirmed that voting will take place across five regions: West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry. According to the schedule, elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will be conducted in a single phase on April 9. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23. Meanwhile, West Bengal will witness voting in two phases on April 23 and April 29.
The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will take place on May 4. The terms of the legislative assemblies in these states are set to expire between May and June, making the upcoming elections crucial for determining the next governments in the regions. Political parties have already begun gearing up for what is expected to be a high-stakes electoral battle across the five states.