"Bengal voters feeling for first time they're voting in democratic setup": Telangana BJP chief amid 2nd phase polling

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 29 : Amid polling in West Bengal for the second phase covering 142 seats, Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President N Ramchander Rao on Wednesday lauded the role of the Election Commission (ECI), saying that voters are exercising their franchise in a "democratic setup" for the first time.

Speaking to ANI, Rao urged voters to participate in large numbers in the democratic festival. He also targeted the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, adding that Bengal politics was earlier "marred with violence and threats".

"In Bengal politics, which was earlier marred with violence and threats, this time the Bengal voters are feeling for the first time that they are voting in a democratic setup. The entire credit goes to the Election Commission of India and the poll officials who have taken all the care to see that free and fair elections happen and a large number of voters turn out. We hope that in this phase also, a large number of voters will come out and vote," Rao said.

Voting for the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 is currently underway amid tight security arrangements across 142 constituencies out of 294.

West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 18.39 per cent until 9 am on Wednesday, as polling for the remaining 142 seats across the state commenced earlier in the day.

Purba Bardhaman stands at the top, with a voting percentage of 20.86%, followed by Hooghly, which has witnessed 20.16% polling until 9 am on Wednesday. 18.50 percent polling has taken place in Nadia; meanwhile, North 24 Paraganas 17.81% votes.

Kolkata North and Kolkata South have experienced 17.28% and 16.81% polling respectively, whereas 17.76 percent voting has taken place in Howrah.

The main fight in West Bengal in the 2026 elections is between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari inspected the polling booths in Bhabanipur constituency. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote at the Mitra Institute polling booth in Bhabanipur.

The second phase of the polling is widely seen as the 'litmus test' for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as voting moves into the party's traditional fortresses in South Bengal and Kolkata.

The second phase covers 142 out of 294 seats in West Bengal. The total electorate is around 3.21 crore, with 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 transgender voters.1,448 candidates are in the fray, including 220 women at 41,001 polling stations, with over 8,000 managed entirely by women.

While 142 seats are up for grabs, all eyes are on the 'Big Five' urban contests. Apart from the high-stakes seat of Bhabanipur, Tollyganj, the heart of the Bengali film industry, is a high-profile, star-studded battle.

In the 2021 elections, the TMC dominated this specific belt, winning 123 of these 142 seats. For the BJP, this phase is about making inroads into the urban "bhadralok" vote and the Matua community. For the TMC, it is about holding the line to ensure a fourth consecutive term for Mamata Banerjee.

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