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Parallel Central force structure in Bengal as officials are under pressure, says Akhilesh Yadav
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Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav during a press conference at the party office, in Lucknow on Wednesday. | Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mr. Yadav said, “In Bengal, Didi (Mamata Banerjee) is going to win with historic votes. The people of Bengal are voting in large numbers in her favour. Published - April 29, 2026 04:40 pm IST
Home Elections West Bengal Visiting several polling booths in her Bhabanipur Assembly constituency where voting is underway, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that democratic norms have been severely compromised by the authorities Updated - April 29, 2026 11:27 am IST West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from Bhabanipur constituency, Mamata Banerjee, visits a polling station in her constituency during the second and final phase of the state Assembly elections, in Kolkata, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. | 39% of 3.21 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling to 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of West Bengal Assembly elections, a senior Election Commission of India (ECI) official said.Till 9 a.m., Purba Bardhaman district recorded the highest turnout at 20.86%, followed by Hooghly at 20.16%, he said. Nadia recorded 18.5% turnout, followed by North 24 Parganas (17.81%), Kolkata Uttar (17.28%), South 24 Parganas (17.25%), and Kolkata Dakshin (16.81%), he added.” Election officials and polling agents gathered at dawn to conduct mock polls, a mandatory procedure to ensure the integrity of EVMs and VVPAT machines.By 6:30 a.m., long queues had already snaked around polling stations in South 24 Parganas. Despite the intense heat predicted for later in the day, voters, many of them women and first-timers, arrived early to exercise their franchise in what is being described as one of the most polarised and significant elections in Bengal’s history.The 142 seats that go to polls in the second phase are spread across seven districts -- North 24 Parganas (33 seats), South 24 Parganas (31), Nadia (17), Howrah (16) and Kolkata (11), Hooghly (18) and Purba Bardhaman (16). The key candidates in this phase of the election are Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, both contesting from Bhabanipur. Ministers of the Trinamool Government, including Firhad Hakim from Kolkata Port, Aroop Biswas from Tollygunge, Shashi Panja from Shaympukur and Bratya Basu from Dum Dum, are others who will face the polls.Read live updates below: Watch | West Bengal votes in Phase 2 of Assembly polls April 29, 2026 11:16 BJP will form govt in Bengal with thumping majority: Nabin Speaking to reporters in Mirzapur, Mr. Nabin said, “The BJP will form the government in Bengal. We are winning the elections with a massive majority.” Earlier in the day, the BJP chief visited the Vindhyavasini temple and offered prayers. The rituals were conducted by his priest Acharya Agastya Kumar Dwivedi.On his first visit to the district after assuming office, Mr. Nabin was welcomed by party workers at several places. At the temple, he was received by city MLA Ratnakar Mishra and District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar, who felicitated him with a traditional ‘angvastram’.-- PTIApril 29, 2026 11:00 NIA officials deployed in seven West Bengal Assembly seats NIA officials have been deployed in at least seven Assembly seats of West Bengal where the second phase of polling is underway on Wednesday, after the Election Commission of India asked the federal probe agency to ensure bombs are not used to disrupt polling.The sleuths of the federal anti-terror agency have been deployed in seven Assembly seats, including Kasba, Bhangar, Baruipur, and Bishnupur, an official said.“Yes, the NIA has been assigned to booths in these places. The decision was taken based on specific inputs,” he said, adding that Bhangar have been included
Home Elections West Bengal This phase will decide the electoral fate of more than half a dozen Ministers of West Bengal government along with Chief Minister and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee Updated - April 29, 2026 07:25 am IST People during Phase 2 of voting for the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 in Kolkata on April 29, 2026. | 21 crore voters across 142 constituencies and seven Districts will determine the fate of 1,448 candidates as voting is held today (April 29, 2026) for the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.Watch | West Bengal elections Phase 2: A look at the key constituencies, candidates, and important issuesThis phase will decide the electoral fate of more than half a dozen Ministers of the West Bengal government, along with Chief Minister and party chairperson Mamata Banerjee, as BJP heavyweights and CPI(M) fresh faces take on TMC’s candidates in its bastion of Kolkata and adjoining districts.The 142 seats that go to polls in the second phase are spread across seven districts -- North 24 Parganas (33 seats), South 24 Parganas (31), Nadia (17), Howrah (16) and Kolkata (11), Hooghly (18) and Purba Bardhaman (16). The key candidates in this phase of the election are Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, both contesting from Bhabanipur. Ministers of the Trinamool Government, including Firhad Hakim from Kolkata Port, Aroop Biswas from Tollygunge, Shashi Panja from Shaympukur and Bratya Basu from Dum Dum, are others who will face the polls.Read live updates below:April 29, 2026 07:25 Polling begins for 142 seats in final phase of West Bengal Assembly electionsVoting began on Wednesday in 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, amid unprecedented security arrangements and a high-stakes contest that could decide whether the ruling TMC retains its dominance over southern districts or the BJP can force open the gates of power in the State.Polling started at 7 a.m. with voters lining up outside booths across Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman — districts that together form the political and electoral core of the State.Unlike the first phase, where the BJP sought to defend its north Bengal gains, the final round shifts the battle squarely to the TMC’s strongest belt. In 2021, the ruling party had won 123 of these 142 seats, leaving just 18 for the BJP and one for the ISF.- PTIApril 29, 2026 07:24 41,001 polling stations, 2,400 CAPF companies deployed ahead of pollingAhead of the second phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal on Wednesday, Special Electoral Roll Observer Subrata Gupta expressed confidence in the preparedness for polling.“The final preparation is good. We are prepared to host phase two of the elections tomorrow in 41,001 polling stations across eight districts in South Bengal. Almost 2,400 companies of CAPF are being deployed to maintain peace and law and order, and also to ensure the security of the voters...We are prepared for the worst. While we believe that the planning which has gone into phase two will bear fruit in the form of a peaceful second phase, we are prepared to face any law and order issue,” Mr. Gupta told ANI.- ANIApril 29, 2026 07:23 ECI transfers election official in Bengal ahead of second phase pollThe Election Commission of India (ECI) has transferred the Joint Block Development Officer (BDO) of Falta Development Block, Sourav Hazra, and also directed the removal of two Additional District Magistrate (ADM)-rank officers from election-related duties in West Bengal ahead of the second phase of legislative assembly polls.The ECI has approved the transfer of Sourav Hazra, who was serving as Joint BDO, Falta Development Block and was also notified as Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) for 144-Falta Assembly Constituency. He has now been transferred to Purulia Headquarters as Joint BDO an
Ajay Pal Sharma is currently posted as Deputy Inspector General of Police in Prayagraj. Photo: uppolice.gov.in Ajay Pal Sharma, a 2011-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, who appeared in a viral video clip allegedly warning locals of severe consequences if they failed to reveal the whereabouts of Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan in Falta under West Bengal’s Diamond Harbour constituency, was not included in the initial list of 84 police observers released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 17.Mr. Sharma, currently posted as Deputy Inspector General of Police in Prayagraj, was brought in on Sunday as the police observer for four Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas, replacing Parmar Smit Parshottamdas, a 2017-batch IPS officer from Odisha cadre. Published - April 28, 2026 10:40 pm IST
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