West Bengal Goes to Polls: High-Stakes Electoral Battle

Voting for eight Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal's sixth phase began with tight security measures. Key candidates include Bengali superstar Dev and Union Minister Subhas Sarkar. A total of 1.45 crore voters will cast their votes across 15,600 polling stations amid the deployment of 919 central force companies and 29,000 state police personnel.

Voting began for the eight Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the sixth phase on Saturday morning amid tight security, an official said.

The polling began at 7 am in Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, and Bishnupur constituencies. It would continue till 6 pm, he said.

A total of 1.45 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase across around 15,600 polling stations, he added.

Of the 79 candidates in the fray, Bankura and Jhargram have the highest number of 13 contestants each, followed by Purulia (12), and nine each in Medinipur and Tamluk, the official said.

Seven candidates each are contesting in the Bishnupur and Ghatal seats, he said.

Among the notable candidates in fray in this phase are Bengali superstar Dev, who is seeking a third term as TMC MP from Ghatal, former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the BJP candidate in Tamluk, Union Minister Subhas Sarkar in Bankura, and fashion designer Agnimitra Paul, a BJP legislator, who is pitted against TMC MLA and actor June Malia in Medinipur.

A total of 919 companies of central forces have been deployed in this phase along with over 29,000 state police personnel.