West Bengal Election 2026: War of words peaks as campaign blitz ends; all eyes on 142 seats voting tomorrow

West Bengal Election 2026: The campaign for the current assembly election cycle ended on 27 April, as canvassing for the final phase concluded. The months-long camapign by all political parties witnessed a bitter war of words between rival over cross-border infiltration, corruption, unemployment and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Voting across 142 constituencies in the second and final phase in the state will take place on 29 April after the first leg registered a record turnout of 93.19%. The results of the West Bengal elections will be announced along with those of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry on 4 May.

In Bengal, the electoral battle in 2026 is widely seen as a bipolar contest between the ruling TMC and a resurgent BJP. The TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been in power in the state since 2011.

A total of 3,21,73,837 electors, including 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 third-gender voters, are eligible to cast their votes in this phase on 29 April.

Polling will be held at 41,001 stations, all of which will be covered by webcasting.

High-voltage campaign

During the high-voltage campaign, the BJP accused the ruling TMC of turning the state into a haven for infiltrators. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the saffron party engaged in divisive politics, attempted to bifurcate Bengal and interfered with local food habits.

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and a host of BJP leaders from other states, campaigned extensively, attacking the TMC over law and order, crimes against women, political violence, infiltration and corruption.

Modi wrapped up his campaign with a mix of religious outreach and sharp attacks on the TMC, accusing it of fostering "jungle raj" and failing to ensure women's safety and industrial growth. He offered prayers at the Matua Thakurbari in Bongaon and the Thanthania Kalibari temple in Kolkata, and assured Hindu refugees of a "permanent address" in the country.

Banerjee claimed that her party had crossed the 100-seat mark in the first phase itself and expressed confidence of retaining power. Banerjee has also hit out at Shah over his "hang upside down" remark against Trinamool workers after the polls, questioning the language used by a constitutional authority and saying her party would initiate legal action against him.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and RJD chief Tejaswi Yadav joined the campaign bandwagon in the final few days in support of the TMC, vouching for its "imminent victory" in the polls by defeating the saffron juggernaut.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who campaigned for party candidates in the first phase of polls on 23 April, revisited the state for the upcoming second phase, holding rallies in the heart of Kolkata, where he took on both the BJP and TMC.

TMC leader and party MP Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the BJP failed to fulfil its promises, including " ₹15 lakh in every bank account and two crore jobs annually".

The Election Commission of India has put in place extensive security arrangements, deploying 2,321 companies of central forces across seven districts. As many as 142 general observers, 95 police observers and 100 expenditure observers have been deployed, while drones fitted with cameras are being used to monitor the polling process. Kolkata has the highest deployment with 273 companies of central forces.

Key players in the fray

Among the constituencies going to the polls, Bhangar has the highest number of candidates at 19, while Goghat has the lowest at five. Key seats include Bhabanipur, where Banerjee is seeking re-election against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari; Kolkata Port, where Firhad Hakim is in the fray; and the industrial belt constituencies of Bhatpara, Jagatdal and Barrackpur.

Other important seats include Bangaon, Dum Dum, Sandeshkhali, Hingalganj, Ranaghat Uttar and Dakshin, Rashbehari, Jadavpur and Ballygunge.

All arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on 29 April, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said on Monday.

Dedicated helpline till 10 May

The Lok Bhavan on Monday announced that its dedicated 24x7 citizen helpline will remain operational till 10 May to assist people during the ongoing West Bengal Assembly election.

In a press statement, the Governor's House reiterated its commitment to ensuring that citizens can exercise their democratic rights in a "free, fair and fear-free environment".

"The dedicated 24x7 Citizen Helpline will remain fully operational at least till 10th May 2026 to provide assistance and guidance relating to the ongoing Assembly election process, ensuring uninterrupted support during this crucial period," the statement said.

(With agency inputs)