WEB DESK
High pitch electioneering for the Second Phase of Assembly Elections in Assam and West Bengal ended today. Most of the leaders focussed on trials of strength through the road shows and mass contact programmes in order to make the final appeal to voters criss-crossing the constituencies on the last day.
In Assam, 345 candidates including 26 women are in fray for the 39 Assembly Constituencies spread over 13 districts going to polls on Thursday during the Second of three-phase elections. There are three main alliances this time including the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance with partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and Mahajot or Grand Alliance led by the Congress.
It includes All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) and the Left parties while yet another conglomerate of Assom Jatiya Party (AJP) and Raijor Dal is also there. BJP has fielded 34 candidates, Congress has 28, AJP -19, AIDUF seven, AGP six and BPF has four while 176 independents and others are also trying their luck.
In West Bengal, 171 candidates including 19 women will be vying for the 30 seats in four districts during the Second Phase. The state is witnessing eight-phase elections. Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling AITC are contesting for all the 30 seats while Congress, Left parties and their alliance partner Indian Secular Front are fighting under the banner of Sanyukt Morcha. CPI (M) has fielded 15 candidates, Congress has nine, BSP seven, CPI two and AIFB and RSP one each while there are 32 independents along with 44 others are also in the fray.
Meanwhile, campaign is heating up in respect of the Third Phase in both these states and also for the single-phase elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry. Third Phase polling in these two states will be held on 6th of April when 338 candidates will be contesting for the 40 seats of Assam while 205 candidates will be vying for 31 seats of West Bengal.
The single-phase polling in Kerala, Tamil Nadu along with the Union Territory of Puducherry will also be held on 6th of the next month. While there will be 957 candidates in fray for the 140 Assembly Constituencies of Kerala, the total number of candidates will be 4,125 in respect of 234 Constituencies in Tamil Nadu. In Puducherry, 324 candidates will be vying for the 30 Assembly seats. Besides, the Lok Sabha by-polls will be conducted simultaneously for Kanniyakumari seat in Tamil Nadu where there will be 12 candidates in the fray and also for Malappuram seat in Kerala where six candidates will be taking part in the electoral battle.
During the Fourth Phase of Assembly Elections in West Bengal, the final scenario of electoral contests became clear last week after withdrawal of candidature and the election campaign was initiated by the prominent leaders of different political parties. During this phase, 373 candidates will be vying for 44 Assembly seats that will go to polls on 10th of April.
The nomination process for the Fifth Phase closed today and the scrutiny will be undertaken tomorrow. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 3rd of April. The nominations also closed for By-Elections of two Lok Sabha seats including Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and Belgaum in Karnataka along with 14 Assembly Constituencies in eleven states.