Voting in the high-stakes first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Thursday saw robust voter turnout amid sporadic clashes, as workers of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP clashed in several pockets.
Clashes were reported in Murshidabad between supporters of Humayun Kabir’s AJUP and Trinamool members, while a BJP candidate was allegedly assaulted in Dakshin Dinajpur district. Despite isolated incidents, long queues were visible across polling booths, with the state recording a turnout of 89.93 per cent till 5 pm among nearly 3.6 crore voters.
Simultaneously, Tamil Nadu witnessed steady polling, with voter turnout reaching 82.24 per cent till 5 pm among approximately 5.67 crore eligible voters, reflecting strong participation in the single-phase election, featuring a three-cornered contest among the ruling DMK, the AIADMK-BJP-led NDA, and actor Vijay's TVK.
Clashes erupted between supporters of Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress in Murshidabad, prompting police and central forces to resort to baton charges to disperse the mob. Several vehicles were vandalised during the violence. Kabir also faced protests and "go back" slogans from TMC supporters, with his convoy briefly surrounded by agitators when he arrived to vote.
A BJP candidate from the Kumarganj Assembly constituency, Suvendu Sarkar, was allegedly assaulted by members of the Trinamool Congress after he rushed to a polling booth, claiming booth jamming. At another booth, ink was found smeared over the BJP’s lotus symbol on the EVM, briefly disrupting the voting process. Polling resumed after officials cleared the mark. In Purba Medinipur, tensions escalated when BJP supporters raised slogans against a Trinamool candidate, leading to clashes and sparking panic among voters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Nadia, which goes to polls in the second phase, said the high voter turnout signalled a decisive victory for the BJP in the state and asserted that "15 years of TMC jungle raj will end now". "In many respects, a regime of lawlessness and hooliganism prevailed. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Election Commission; they have once again restored the dignity of democracy on the soil of Bengal," he said.
In Bengal, the contest remains a direct, high-voltage fight between the ruling Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee and the BJP, whose campaign was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP has mounted an aggressive, nationalist campaign, blending Hindutva messaging with allegations of corruption, illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and governance failures.
The TMC, however, has an edge after assailing the saffron party over the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state. It accused the BJP of colluding with the Election Commission of India and even took the fight to the courts. More than 91 lakh names were deleted from Bengal's electoral rolls, and the fates of nearly 62 lakh voters undecided going into the two-phase polls.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party is also leaning heavily on welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar, alongside a campaign centred on Bengali identity, projecting itself as a defender of Bengal’s non-vegetarian culture against the BJP’s vegetarian leanings.
Key battles to watch are Nandigram, where Suvendu Adhikari is looking to retain the prestige seat he won by defeating Mamata Banerjee in 2021. In Berhampore, Congress veteran Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is returning to assembly politics after decades. In Mathabhanga, BJP’s Nisith Pramanik aims to consolidate the party’s base.
Tamil Nadu presents a more complex, triangular contest. The Dravidian parties of old -- the ruling DMK, led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, and the AIADMK, under Edappadi K Palaniswami, are facing a new challenger in the form of actor-politician Vijay’s TVK.
The DMK has framed the election as a referendum on its governance, welfare and federal rights, while the AIADMK is attempting a political comeback, recalibrating after internal churn and alliance shifts with the BJP. The TVK, helmed by the uber-popular star Vijay, has drawn interest from younger and urban voters and positioning itself as an alternative to entrenched Dravidian politics.
Key constituencies to watch are Kolathur, where MK Stalin is seeking re-election and Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, from where his son Udhayanidhi Stalin is contests. Vijay will make his poll debut from two seats -- Tiruchirapalli East and Perambur. EPS is fighting from his home turf Edappadi. His arch-rival O Panneerselvam, who switched from AIADMK to DMK right before the election, will contest from Bodinayakkanur.
