High-stakes phase 1 voting in West Bengal, all seats of Tamil Nadu today: All you need to know

The stage is set for assembly elections for all 234 seats in Tamil Nadu and 152 constituencies in the first phase of high-stakes West Bengal elections today, 23 April.

With over 3.22 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots in the first phase, the contest is largely between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal.

In Tamil Nadu, while the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) were the key players, the entry of actor Vijay has made the elections look like a triangular contest.

The Bipolar Bengal Contest

• The 152 constituencies across 16 districts of West Bengal voting on 23 April are Siliguri, Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Raiganj, Balurghat, Malda, Murshidabad, Asansol, Bankura and Baharampur.
• The battle between the ruling TMC and the BJP has turned into a high-stakes bipolar showdown in Bengal. The remaining 142 seats will go to the polls on 29 April, with counting scheduled for 4 May.
• The political temperature soared as the TMC and the BJP locked horns in a no-holds-barred exchange of accusations, promises, and sharp rhetoric in the last stage of campaigning.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah led the BJP's final push with multiple rallies and roadshows, sharpening his attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on multiple fronts-law and order, corruption, infiltration and governance. "Both Love Jihad and Land Jihad will come to an end... farmers will get ₹9,000... women and unemployed youth will get ₹3,000 per month," he promised, outlining a sweeping welfare and governance agenda.
• The TMC also kept up with its offensive against the BJP, accusing the party of being "Bohiragoto" (outsider) and disrespectful towards Bengal.
• The TMC also filed a complaint accusing the BJP of running "special trains" from Surat to Bengal, allegedly offering free travel and food to influence voters. Calling it a violation of electoral law, TMC MP Derek O'Brien said it amounted to "bribery, undue influence and illegal transport of voters," demanding strict action.
• BJP National President Nitin Nabin accused TMC leaders of disrespecting the national song, saying, "Vande Mataram has an unbreakable bond with the BJP and the people of the country... The people of West Bengal will reject those who insult it." He further added, “This time, the people of West Bengal are fighting the election... against the TMC's hooliganism, anarchy, and corruption.”

• Over 5,011 Flying Squad Teams and 5,363 Static Surveillance Teams have been deployed, conducting surprise checks and responding to complaints within 100 minutes.
• Over 2,000 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across Bengal in the first phase of voting today.
• The Chief Electoral Officer has also imposed strict restrictions on motorcycle movement and rallies, including a ban on motorcycle rallies and limits on vehicle movement during night hours (6 PM-6 AM), to prevent intimidation and unlawful mobilisation. Officials said these steps are meant to "maintain a calm and conducive atmosphere for voters."
• The EC has emphasised that misuse of money power, inducements, and state machinery will be dealt with firmly, while cautioning officials to avoid harassing ordinary citizens during checks.

Key candidates

• Once an aide of Mamata Banerjee in TMC, Suvendu Adhikari has, over the years, emerged as West Bengal chief minister's principal opponent. Adhikari is contesting from Nandigram, a seat he won in 2021, defeating Mamata Banerjee. He is also contesting from Bhabhanipur, the seat in Kolkata that Banerjee represents in the assembly. While Nandigram votes on 23 April, Bhabhanipur will vote on 29 April.
• In Kharagpur Sadar, BJP's Dilip Ghosh, a prominent party face who previously held the seat, is contesting against TMC's Pradip Sarkar, in a constituency known for shifting loyalties over the years.
• Asansol Dakshin sees BJP's Agnimitra Paul in a multi-cornered contest against TMC's Tapas Banerjee and other candidates, after the BJP had gained ground in the industrial belts in the last election.
• In Murshidabad, BJP's Gouri Sankar Ghosh and TMC's Shaoni Singha Roy are once again facing off after a closely fought 2021 contest decided by just over 2,400 votes, making it one of the tightest battlegrounds. In Mathabhanga, former Union minister Nishith Pramanik is contesting for the BJP, while TMC has fielded its own strong candidate, reflecting the party's push in North Bengal.

• Baharampur features Congress heavyweight Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attempting a comeback after a previous electoral setback, while in Siliguri, BJP's Shankar Ghosh is taking on the TMC-backed local leadership, indicating a direct BJP-TMC fight in urban North Bengal. In Darjeeling, TMC has fielded a retired educator against BJP's Noman Rai, highlighting the party's strategy to counter BJP's influence in the hills.
• Other notable constituencies include Dum Dum Uttar, where TMC minister Chandrima Bhattacharya is contesting; Tollyganj with Aroop Biswas for TMC; Kolkata Port with Firhad Hakim; and Ballygunge with Babul Supriyo, all representing key urban strongholds for the ruling party. BJP, on the other hand, has fielded leaders like Dilip Ghosh, Suvendu Adhikari, and Nishith Pramanik across regions to expand its footprint.
• In the 2021 Assembly elections, TMC won over 200 seats and nearly 48.5% vote share. BJP's rise to 77 seats has turned many of these constituencies into direct, closely contested battlegrounds in 2026, where even small vote swings could significantly alter outcomes.

SIR biggest issue in Bengal

• The biggest issue shaping the election is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has led to the deletion of over 60 lakh to 90 lakh names, reducing the voter base from around 7.66 crore to 7.04 crore.
• The process, conducted under judicial supervision, has sparked fierce political debate. The TMC has alleged voter suppression, while the BJP has defended it as a necessary clean-up of bogus entries.

Tamil Nadu Contest

• Tamil Nadu has over 5.73 crore voters, featuring 2,93,04,905 female voters, 2,80,30,658 male voters, and 7,728 third-gender voters.
• A multi-layered security arrangement has been put in place, involving local police, central armed forces, and flying squads.
• The electoral arena is currently dominated by the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, where Chief Minister MK Stalin and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin are campaigning on a platform of "Dravidian Model" governance and welfare delivery, supported by long-time allies like the Congress and VCK.
• Formidable opposition comes from the AIADMK, led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, which is showing up more united after allying with the BJP.
• The traditional rivalry can be shaken up with the wild-card entry of actor-turned-politician Vijay and his newly launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which has decided to contest in every seat.
• Chief Minister MK Stalin has led a high-decibel campaign, framing the polls as "Delhi vs Tamil Nadu" to challenge the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Pitching "Dravidian Model 2.0," he seeks a renewed mandate to advance the state's developmental agenda further.

Key Fights

• CM Stalin, who is contesting on a DMK ticket from Kolthur, faces a serious multi-cornered challenge from Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) VS Babu and AIADMK's P Santhana Krishnan.
• Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni is also back in focus, with Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin seeking a fresh mandate from a seat that has long been seen as a DMK stronghold.
• The Edappadi assembly constituency in Salem district is also a critical battleground because it is the political home of AIADMK General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is now seeking a sixth term.

• TVK chief Vijay is contesting the polls from two seats, Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur. BJP's Nainar Nagendran is looking to secure the Sattur constituency.
• The DMK is contesting 164 seats, leaving 70 seats for allies out of the 234 total seats in the ruling alliance. The Congress is the primary ally with 28 seats, followed by DMDK (10), VCK (8), and CPI/CPM (5 each).
• The AIADMK, which leads the opposition alliance, is contesting on 169 of the 234 seats, while the BJP on 27 seats, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) 18, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) 11, Tamil Maanila Congress five, Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) one and Puratchi Bharatham one seat.

• In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, the DMK won with 133 seats. AIADMK followed with 66 seats. Congress stood at 18 seats. The state saw a voter turnout of 76.6% in 2021.

(With agency inputs)