The high-stakes Assembly election in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4. The announcement was made by the Election Commission of India, which also revealed polling dates for Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. While elections in these regions will occur in a single phase, Bengal will vote in two stages. This marks a significant change from the previous Assembly election when polling was conducted in eight phases and stretched across more than a month.
During the 2021 Assembly election in West Bengal, voting was held in eight phases due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19. The first round of polling took place on March 27, while the final phase concluded on April 29. According to reports, leaders from several political parties requested the Election Commission of India to restrict the schedule to two or three phases this time. They argued that extended polling periods significantly increase campaign costs and reduce voter enthusiasm. Shorter schedules, they said, would help maintain public interest and ease logistical challenges associated with prolonged election campaigns across the state.
Holding elections in multiple phases is often justified by the need to deploy central security forces efficiently across sensitive areas. West Bengal has historically witnessed episodes of political clashes and violence during elections. However, political parties have argued that a substantial presence of central security personnel is already stationed in the state, reducing the need for an extended schedule. They believe that a shorter polling calendar will help ensure a smoother election process while also limiting the burden on administrative machinery. This reasoning contributed to the decision to conduct the election over two phases rather than spreading it over several weeks.
Mamata Banerjee Eyes Fourth Term
Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the All India Trinamool Congress, is aiming for a fourth consecutive term as Chief Minister. She first came to power in 2011, defeating the long-standing Left regime that had governed the state for decades. Despite facing anti-incumbency after years in office, the 71-year-old leader remains the most influential political figure in the state. Her strong grassroots connect and mass appeal continue to distinguish her from rivals. Observers believe her leadership and direct engagement with voters will once again play a key role in shaping the political narrative ahead of the Assembly polls.
Many of the welfare initiatives launched by her government, particularly those aimed at supporting women, have built a loyal voter base that consistently backs her party. During the campaign, Mamata Banerjee is expected to emphasise Bengali cultural identity and criticise the central government, led by Narendra Modi, for what she describes as policies that disadvantage the state. Issues such as the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, alleged misuse of central investigative agencies, and portraying the Bharatiya Janata Party as an “outsider” force are likely to form major elements of her political messaging during the campaign.
In the run-up to the enforcement of the model code of conduct, the Chief Minister announced several measures aimed at appealing to voters. These included releasing pending dearness allowance arrears and increasing the monthly honorarium for priests and muezzins across the state by ₹500. At the same time, her administration must deal with nearly fifteen years of anti-incumbency and growing criticism from opponents regarding allegations of corruption and concerns related to law and order. These issues are expected to be central themes raised by rival parties as they attempt to challenge her dominance in the state’s political landscape.
BJP’s Big Push For Power
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which secured 77 seats in the 294-member Assembly in the previous election, is preparing for an aggressive campaign in an attempt to expand its influence in West Bengal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to spearhead the party’s outreach efforts, with several senior leaders scheduled to address rallies and public meetings across the state ahead of polling. The BJP leadership hopes that a coordinated campaign and strong organisational push will help the party challenge the ruling establishment and improve its performance in the upcoming Assembly election.
Last July, the party appointed Samik Bhattacharya, a Rajya Sabha member and senior leader, as the state president. Apart from strengthening the party’s election strategy, he faces the challenge of resolving internal disagreements within the state unit. Another important task for the leadership will be countering the Trinamool’s frequent portrayal of the BJP as an “outsider” political force that does not represent the cultural ethos of Bengal. This narrative has been repeatedly used by Mamata Banerjee in past campaigns and remains a key aspect of the political rivalry between the two parties.
The BJP’s campaign strategy is expected to focus on issues such as alleged minority appeasement by the state government, corruption allegations, concerns about law and order, and the state administration’s reluctance to implement several central welfare schemes. By highlighting these themes, the party hopes to attract voters dissatisfied with the current government and build broader support across different regions of the state. Party leaders believe these issues resonate strongly with the electorate and could become decisive factors in shaping voter choices during the Assembly election.
The SIR Effect
One of the most widely debated issues ahead of the election in West Bengal is the recently conducted Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The All India Trinamool Congress challenged the exercise in court and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of influencing the Election Commission of India to remove the names of legitimate voters from the lists. In response, the BJP alleged that the ruling party had been shielding illegal immigrants for political gains. The dispute has intensified the political atmosphere and turned the revision process into a major electoral issue ahead of the polls.
According to official figures, approximately 63 lakh voter names were removed during the revision process. This number exceeds the overall vote margin between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the 2021 Assembly election, suggesting that the revision could potentially influence the outcome of the upcoming contest. This is why Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticised the exercise and accused authorities of attempting to interfere with voter rights. However, the Election Commission of India has maintained that the revision is a routine procedure designed to update and clean electoral rolls.
In the 2021 Assembly election, the All India Trinamool Congress secured a commanding victory by winning 215 seats in the 294-member legislature. The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the principal opposition with 77 seats. While the Trinamool slightly improved its tally compared with the 2016 election, the BJP registered a dramatic rise from just three seats in 2016 to becoming the main challenger. Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress, which contested together, failed to win any seats in the Assembly.