The Election Commission has finally released the elections dates for the upcoming elections in five states and Union Territories that will start from March 27 and the counting will take place on May 2.
The five states and Union Territories include West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.
Election in Bengal will be in eight phases which are dated on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29.
Assam will vote in three phases dated on March 27, April 1 and April 6.
Whereas, Voting in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be in single phase on April 6.
Code of conduct has been placed in all the states and more than 18 crore voters will be voting in these elections, said Sunil Arora the Chief Election Commissioner.
These are the major elections to be in the middle of the pandemic after the Bihar elections last year amid the pandemic.
As keeping in mind the covid situation poll officers will also be vaccinated like the frontline workers, said the Chief Election Commissioner.
Polls will be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The Election Commission cited fear of violence while defending eight rounds and said: “We had an assessment of law and order on several factors. Last time it was seven phases so eight is not a big deal.”
After the release of schedule the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had hit out at the Centre for the long voting as she said, “Why is one district (24 Paraganas) voting in three rounds? Has this been done at thee instance of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah? The daughter of Bengal has one thing to say. I will defeat all your conspiracies,” said the CM.
“Khela Hobe (Game On),” is the Trinamool’s slogan, with the BJP calling for “poriborton (change)”, she added.
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu will now have its have its first election after the death o its supreme lead J Jayalalithaa. In 2019 the Indian National Congress was defeated by the Opposition of DMK alliance.
As a result of collapse of government in Puducherry BJP who is not a big player in Tamil Nadu is hoping for a good opportunity in Tamil Nadu this time.
Just like Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka the ruling Congress led alliance in Puducherry also collapsed due to multiple resignations within the party that led to lost in power. The Union Territory is now under the President rule announced on Thursday which is likely to continue till the election in April.
Puducherry was the only Territory in south with ruling Congress and now BJP is hoping for a win there as soon after the resignation of the Chief Minister V Narayanswamy Prime Minister visited the Union Territory to inaugurate many developmental schemes and to kick-start the election campaign.
BJP is campaigning non-stop with one more visit of Union Minister Amit Shah in the state of Assam for retaining back the power in the state after winning the last election in 2016.
And in Kerala there is an intense rivalry between the ruling Left-led front and Congress-led Opposition alliance. The Kerala voters seem neutral for both the main oppositions.
