Bengal, TN, Kerala, Assam vote Mar 27-Apr 29, results on May 2

Bengal, TN, Kerala, Assam vote Mar 27-Apr 29, results on May 2

BJP Sets Sights On Toppling Didi, Gaining In South

Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.02.2021 

The Election Commission on Friday announced polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry between March 27 and April 29, setting up several high-stake electoral contests with an unprecedented eight-phase voting in Bengal.

The state, which has seen rising bitterness and violence between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters, will see the country’s most staggered assembly poll to date. The election in Assam will be in three phases — up from two in

2016 — while Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will have a single-day poll on April 6.

Counting for all the assemblies will be held on May 2.

The elections are a trial of strength for BJP in the wake of the long-drawn agitation by farmers’ unions opposed to the new agri laws. Though the states going to polls are largely unaffected by matters such as procurement and MSP, the resonance of the issues raised by Punjab, Haryana and west UP agri unions will be watched closely as BJP defends the reforms as pro-farmer.

The polls will also test Congress as it has opted for an alliance in Assam with the pro-minority AIUDF of Badruddin Ajmal and has pacts with the Left and DMK in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu respectively. Congress is the main challenger to the Left in Kerala where it did well in Lok Sabha polls. Jolted by the loss of its government in Puducherry a few days ago, Congress will hope to retrieve some standing in alliance with DMK.

As of now, the Left’s prospects seem to have brightened in Kerala following tactical missteps by Congress that saw it lose ground in the local body elections last year. Yet, the contest is typically close.

Tamil Nadu will be without stalwarts J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi in an assembly poll for the first time. M K Stalin will look to seal his leadership of DMK with a win that makes him the CM.

In Assam, BJP looks to ensure its win in 2016 was not a fluke, though it now faces the combined challenge of Congress-AIUDF intended to consolidate anti-BJP votes. BJP, on the other hand, sees factionalism in Congress as a factor helping its cause while it is seen to have the upper hand in Bodo areas and Barak Valley.

8 PHASES FOR BENGAL A NATIONAL RECORD

18.7 crore people, or around 20% of India’s total electorate, will vote for 824 assembly seats in 4 states and 1 Union territory between March 27 and April 29

WEST BENGAL TAMIL NADU KERALA ASSAM

294 seats 234 seats 140 seats 126 seats 8phases* *Up from 7 1phase 1phase 3phases in 2016

PUDUCHERRY Bengal votes on March 27, Apr 1, 6, 10, 17, 22, 26, 29 Assam: March 27, Apr 1 30 seats 1 phase & 6 TN, Kerala, Puducherry: April 6 MAY 2, SUNDAY Counting & results

WEST BENGAL | CM WHAT’S AT for Cong, as DMK’s Results will have a bearing on Mamata Banerjee faces STAKE? junior partner, to halt its Rahul Gandhi’s leadership probably the toughest will poor hope electoral to make run gains . BJP in ASSAM | After its unexpected against battle of ‘political her career outlier’ BJP, the company of AIADMK victory in 2016, BJP will with PM Modi & Amit Shah in KERALA | Cong remains though hope to it consolidate now faces a its strong hold, the thick of campaigning Left’s main challenger though demographic challenge from TAMIL NADU | Best chance BJP has a larger presence now. Cong-AIUDF alliance

EC’S COVID to Door 5 people -to-door , including campaigning candidate restricted . beforehand All election . of Voting ficials to to be be allowed vaccinated for 1 SHIELD Roadshows to have max 5 vehicles extra hr keeping in mind Covid guidelines

In Puducherry, BJP pins hopes on former CM Rangaswamy and friendship with AIADMK

BJP’s challenge in Assam lies in negotiating the Citizenship Amendment Act potholes in a state where "illegal migrants" are not a straightforward ethno-religious faultline. With the Congress-DMK government losing office in Puducherry, BJP is hoping its alliance with former CM N Rangaswamy, seen to be a popular leader, will see it through along with AIADMK. Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora, while announcing the dates at a press conference, said the decision to stagger polling in West Bengal over eight phases — unlike six during the 2016 assembly polls (which effectively was seven phases as the sixth phase then was split over two different dates) and seven phases in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls — was based on several factors. “We have to find a kind of mean… way out,” he said, adding that an increase from seven to eight phases was no big deal. To a particular question on why poll in Tamil Nadu, where concerns over excess use of money power had led to rescinding of polls in some constituencies in the past, was to be held in one phase and West Bengal in eight, the CEC reminded that Tamil Nadu had had a single-phase poll in 2016 assembly election as well as 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

An EC official, while speaking to TOI, also pointed out that even in BJP-ruled Assam, the number of phases was raised to three this time from two in 2016 assembly poll.

FULL COVERAGE: P 17

›Political climate behind 8-phase polling: EC, P 17 ›Suspense over Karnataka bypoll dates continues, P 4 ›BJP looks east, hopes for southern swing, P 17