West Bengal votes in the second and final phase of assembly elections on Wednesday, with 142 seats at stake across seven districts that form the political core of the state. The outcome will indicate whether the ruling Trinamool Congress can retain its dominance in south Bengal or if the Bharatiya Janata Party can make inroads into the region. The first phase of elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held on April 23 and votes will be counted on May 4.

South Bengal Holds the Key to Power

The focus is on districts including Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman. In the 2021 elections, the TMC won 123 of these 142 seats, while the BJP secured 18 and the ISF one.

Political observers say control over south Bengal is crucial to forming the government. The region has historically been a stronghold of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and any shift here could alter the state’s political balance.

High-Stakes Battle in Bhabanipur

The Bhabanipur constituency has emerged as the most closely watched contest. Banerjee is facing Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a high-profile electoral battle.

For the TMC, retaining Bhabanipur is key to maintaining political authority, while for the BJP, a win would signal a significant breakthrough in the state’s power centre.

WB Polls Phase 2: Prominent Candidates from BJP

The BJP has deployed several high-profile candidates in key constituencies across south Bengal for the decisive second phase. The spotlight is on Suvendu Adhikari, who is contesting from Bhabanipur in a marquee face-off. The party has also fielded prominent names like Rupa Ganguly from Sonarpur Dakshin and Swapan Dasgupta from Rashbehari.

The party has also sought to tap into public sentiment around the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital case, fielding Ratna Debnath from Panihati, the mother of the RG Kar victim. The move is being seen as an attempt to foreground issues of women’s safety and justice, which have figured prominently in the campaign narrative in the run-up to polling.

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