Assembly elections 2026: Tamil Nadu goes to polls on all seats, Bengal in first phase; can Stalin, Mamata hold their fort?

New Delhi: West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are set to hold assembly elections on Thursday (April 23) and the stage is set for a high-stakes electoral battle.Tamil Nadu will go to polls in all 234 seats in one phase, while West Bengal will go to polls in 152 seats in this phase.The second phase of the West Bengal assembly contest will be held on April 29. Both poll-bound states, dominated by regional heavyweights, witnessed a fierce, high-decibel campaign. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, mounts a challenge Mamata Banerjee and Stalinwhile Rahul Gandhi and other leaders also joined the campaign blitz.Amit Shah struck an aggressive tone when he said: “In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the Congress will not even cross double digits.”Despite the peak of political rhetoric, the electoral commission has increased its vigilance. Cash, liquor, drugs and other lures worth over Rs 1,000 crore have been seized in the two states, taking the total amount seized since February 26 to Rs 1,072.13 crore.On the ground in Tamil Nadu, electronic voting machines and voting materials were moved in large numbers under tight security cover. Meanwhile, West Bengal has witnessed a massive deployment of central forces, a move that was questioned by Mamata Banerjee, who asked: “Are they trying to intimidate?”She also pointed to the use of CRPF armored vehicles during the polls, claiming that the BJP-led Center was deploying state machinery to influence the election results just as voters were preparing to cast their votes in a closely contested contest.

west bengal

Key seats in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly battle include Suvendu Adhikari’s Nandigram, where he earlier defeated sitting chief minister Mamata Banerjee.Mamata Banerjee has since shifted to Babanipur while Suvendu Adhikari continues to challenge her politically as he has also filed nomination papers from Babanipur.

Other important constituencies in this phase include Darjeeling, Siliguri and Jalpaiguri. This phase of the campaign ends on April 21.

North Bengal focus

North Bengal remains the focus of the first phase with 54 assembly seats going to polls this round.In Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari is working with Trinamool Congress Candidate Pabitra Kar joins other contenders, making it one of the most watched races.

Mamata seeks to retain Kolkata throne

The battle in West Bengal remains fierce, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking to retain power and consolidate voter support, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks to build on strong growth in 2021.Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah launched ‘sonar bangla’ slogan over Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Bohiragata’ narrative. The BJP has also stepped up its attack on issues such as law and order and infiltration, citing incidents such as RG Kar, Murshidabad and Sandeshkhali.

Opposition and left fight for relevance

The Congress party, despite its long slide in electoral results, may still play a role in shaping the outcome in Kolkata and beyond. The Left Front, once dominant under the leadership of Jyoti Basu, is still struggling to regain influence in the state.

Meanwhile, even as the Trinamool Congress party attempts to maintain its stronghold in West Bengal’s political landscape, it also faces attacks from its India Bloc allies Congress and the Left.

tamil nadu

More than 5.73 billion voters will decide the fate of 4,023 candidates in high-stakes Tamil Nadu assembly elections on April 23, amid tight security and a sweeping crackdown on temptation by the Election Commission of India.

DMK vs AIADMK: Core Combat

The contest is mainly between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led front, with chief minister MK Stalin seeking re-election while Edappadi K Palaniswami plans to return to power after five years.Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has long been dominated by Dravidian parties, and this election largely continues that trend of polarization. However, the DMK has shown stronger electoral strength in recent years, while the AIADMK has struggled to regain its footing after the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.The AIADMK last won assembly elections in 2016, in Amma’s shadow, just months before her death. Subsequently, the five-year chief ministership was divided between Jayalalithaa, O Panneerselvam and later EPS, who now holds the reins of the party.The national parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, remain in the backseat of their Dravidian partners, with the BJP in an electoral alliance with its old traditional ally AIADMK and the Congress in alliance with the ruling DMK.

Vijay factor adds new twist

However, this election brought new variables. Tamil superstar Vijay entered the political arena with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, attracting huge crowds at rallies and roadshows.His popularity has translated into strong on-the-ground mobilization, although one such rally in Karur tragically led to a stampede.

Can mass support translate into votes?

While Vijay’s entry has added a new dimension to the campaign, his party is contesting independently from the DMK and AIADMK alliance. Unlike national parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, TVK is not considered an “outsider” in the political structure of Tamil Nadu.The key question, however, remains whether this visible public support can translate into votes, a challenge that has historically tested celebrity-led political careers in the state.