Campaigning ends in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal; polling on April 23; what is at stake and how parties led the charge?
The campaigning for the assembly elections scheduled to be held in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal on Thursday came to a close at 5:00 PM on Tuesday evening.
Polling will take place on April 23 for all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu and for 152 seats in the first phase of elections in West Bengal.
According to Election Commission regulations, public meetings are prohibited 48 hours prior to the conclusion of polling. Once the campaign officially ends, candidates and their party workers engage with voters through door-to-door outreach.
In both states, polling on April 23 will commence at 7:00 AM. The second phase of elections in West Bengal is scheduled for April 29, during which voting will be conducted for 142 seats.
DMK vs. AIDMK-BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu
According to data from the Election Commission, a total of 4,023 candidates have entered the electoral fray in Tamil Nadu. The primary contest there is between the alliance led by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its main rival, the AIADMK–Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance.
Actor Joseph Vijay's entry has turned the contest into a triangular battle
This time, the entry of actor C. Joseph Vijay—who has stepped from the world of cinema into the political arena—and his party, the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam, has turned the contest into a triangular battle in several constituencies. Electoral activity in the state has been at its peak for over a month.
PM Modi, other BJP leaders lent momentum to Opposition's campaign
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin serves as the star campaigner for the ruling DMK. Leaders from all of the DMK's alliance partners, including the Congress, have also held numerous rallies across the state. Leading the charge to unseat the ruling alliance, AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami has taken the reins of the campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President Nitin Nabin, and other leaders have also lent significant momentum to this alliance's election campaign.
What issues ruling DMK and Opposition focused on?
During the campaign, while the opposition alliance has raised the issue of alleged corruption within the government against the ruling dispensation, the DMK and its allies have been highlighting issues related to Tamil self-respect and perceived encroachments upon the state's rights. In the final phase of the campaign, the issue of women's reservation has also emerged as a key talking point.
According to official figures, more than 5.67 crore voters in Tamil Nadu are eligible to exercise their franchise in this election, comprising 2.77 crore men, 2.89 crore women, and 7,617 persons of the third gender. A total of 75,032 polling stations have been designated for the voters. To encourage voter participation, the Election Commission has launched a comprehensive voter awareness campaign across the state.
CM Mohan Yadav also campaigned in TN on last day
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav held a roadshow in Tamil Nadu's Rashipuram assembly constituency on Tuesday, seeking votes in support of BJP candidate Dr. Prem Kumar. During the show, he launched a scathing attack on opposition parties DMK and Congress. CM Mohan said, "To prevent another Jayalalithaa from emerging, the entire opposition united and prevented the Women's Reservation Bill from being passed."
He alleged that the opposition was afraid that a poor girl, a farmer's daughter, or a sister from an ordinary family would reach Parliament or the Assembly. CM Yadav said that Tamil Nadu and the Tamil language reside in the heart of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He paid tribute to former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Amma Jayalalithaa, and cartoonist RK Laxman. He further said, "Prime Minister Modi has handed over the keys of wealth to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Tamil Nadu is progressing rapidly along with the country." He also mentioned External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, calling him the pride of Tamil Nadu.
Mohan Yadav accused the DMK and Congress of nepotism and corruption, saying, "These two parties are run by the same family. Their mantra is – you loot, we loot too." Referring to the problems in Rasipuram, he said, "There is no drinking water here, no irrigation system. A government that cannot provide water is incompetent and should be replaced."
Finally, CM appealed to the public, "Your feelings indicate that the NDA government is being formed here. We will hold a massive victory procession on May 4th. Don't sit quietly until the last vote."
1,478 candidates in the fray in the first phase in Bengal
For the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, polling will be held on April 23 across 152 seats spanning 16 districts. To ensure the peaceful conduct of the elections in the state, the Commission has made unprecedented security arrangement
A total of 1,478 candidates are in the fray in the first phase. The total number of voters in this phase exceeds 3.60 crore, comprising 1.84 crore men, 1.74 crore women, and 465 persons of the third gender. West Bengal has a total of 6.44 crore voters.
The main electoral contest in the state is between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The onus of the Trinamool Congress's election campaign rests on the shoulders of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. For the BJP, Prime Minister Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Party President Nitin Naveen, and Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, have conducted a vigorous campaign. Leaders from the Congress and Left parties have also campaigned for their respective candidates. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed election rallies.