Polling underway for 6th phase in West Bengal on 43 seats

Kolkata:Amidst unprecedented security arrangements, voting for the sixth phase of the eight-phase assembly election in West Bengal began this morning in 43 of the state’s 294 constituencies.

In the sixth phase of polling in West Bengal, elections will be held in 4 districts and 43 assembly seats. The districts include North 24 Pargana Part II, Nadia Part II, East Bardhaman Part II and Uttar Dinajpur on April 22.

The forty-three Assembly Constituencies of West Bengal going to polls in the sixth phase are: 1. Chopra 2. Islampur 3. Goalpokhar 4. Chakulia 5. Karandighi 6. Hemtabad (SC) 7. Kaliaganj (SC) 8. Raiganj 9. Itahar 10. Karimpur 11. Tehatta 12. Palashipara 13. Kaliganj 14. Nakashipara 15. Chapra 16. Krishnanagar Uttar 17. Nabadwip 18. Krishnanagar Dakshin 19. Bagda (SC) 20. Bangaon Uttar (SC) 21. Bangaon Dakshin (SC) 22. Gaighata (SC) 23. Swarupnagar (SC) 24. Baduria 25. Habra 26. Ashoknagar 27. Amdanga 28. Bijpur 29. Naihati 30. Bhatpara 31. Jagatdal 32. Noapara 33. Barrackpur 34. Khardaha 35. Dum Dum Uttar 36. Bhatar 37. Purbasthali Dakshin 38. Purbasthali Uttar 39. Katwa 40. Ketugram 41. Mangalkot 42. Ausgram (SC) 43. Galsi (SC).

During the sixth phase, total 306 candidates, including 27 women, will be vying for the 43 Assembly seats spread over four districts of West Bengal going to polls in this phase. Over 1.03 crore voters including 50.65 lakh women and 256 third gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. Total 14,480 polling stations have been set up for this purpose.

TMC and Bharatiya Janata Party are contesting for all the 43 seats. Congress, Left parties and their alliance partner Indian Secular Front are fighting under the banner of Sanyukta Morcha. BSP has fielded 37 candidates, CPI (M) has 23, Congress - 12, AIFB - four and CPI two while there are 82 independents along with 60 others are also in the fray.

Of these 43 seats, the Matua community will be key in about 17 constituencies. Both the TMC and the BJP have pitched hard to gain the confidence of Matuas, who make for a large chunk of the state’s Scheduled Caste population, in most of the 17 assembly segments going to polls in this phase in North 24 Parganas district and some of the nine seats in Nadia.

Apart from these constituencies, elections will be held in nine seats in the Uttar Dinajpur district and eight in Purba Bardhaman.The EC has made elaborate security arrangements with the deployment of central and state forces to ensure a free, fair and peaceful poll.

As the movement of polling personnel began early Friday for their respective voting centers, the deployment of a record 1,071 companies of central armed forces was also in place for the 6th phase polling.(UNI)