Campaigning for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal assembly polls Phase-I ends

The high-intensity campaign for Tamil Nadu and the first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections ended at 6 pm on Tuesday, and the mandatory “silent period” came into effect 48 hours ahead of the poll date. 

The votes polled on April 23 will be taken up for counting on May 4 and results will be ann­ounced. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin signed off the campaign by interacting with voters of Kolathur constituency from where he is contesting. Later, he posted a video on ‘X’ stating he will be a “danger” to those who betray Tamil Nadu and want to hinder its growth. 

 

With two days left for the Assembly polls, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who heads the NDA in the state wound up his campaign in the western part of the state. While the DMK is contesting 164 seats (out of 234 constituencies) and its allies are fighting it out in 70 constituencies, the AIADMK is contesting from 169 seats and its allies are contesting from 65 seats. 

In West Bengal, Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and people’s dietary habits had been the focal point of the wranglings between the two prominent rivals — the BJP and the TMC — which also made wide-ranging promises to woo voters. Voting in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and several districts in the southern part of the state is slated for April 23. 

 

According to the Election Commission, over 36 million electors are eligible to vote in this phase. Electors include around 18.4 million male voters, 17.5 million female voters and 465 third-gender voters.