West Bengal has registered a robust voter turnout of 61.11 per cent by 1 pm this Wednesday, as polling continues across 142 Assembly constituencies in the second phase of the state elections. Figures released by the Election Commission of India show Hooghly as the frontrunner among districts with 64.57 per cent, closely followed by Nadia at 61.41 per cent and Howrah at 60.68 per cent. Within the state capital, Kolkata North saw 60.18 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots, while Kolkata South lagged slightly behind at 57.73 per cent.
This 2026 election has essentially boiled down to a straight fight between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP. This particular phase is widely regarded as a 'litmus test' for the TMC, as the electoral battle moves into the party's traditional strongholds throughout South Bengal and the city of Kolkata.
With 142 of the state’s 294 seats up for grabs, the scale of the exercise is immense. Roughly 3.21 crore voters are eligible to participate, comprising over 1.64 crore men, 1.57 crore women, and 792 transgender voters. Across 41,001 polling stations — more than 8,000 of which are managed entirely by women — a total of 1,448 candidates are vying for office, including 220 women.
While the sheer volume of seats is significant, public attention is largely fixed on the ‘Big Five’ urban contests. Beyond the high-stakes battle in Bhabanipur, the star-studded fight in Tollygunge — the epicentre of the Bengali film industry — has drawn considerable interest.
In the 2021 elections, the TMC reigned supreme in this belt, securing 123 of 142 seats. For the BJP, the current objective is to finally make inroads into the urban "bhadralok" demographic and the influential Matua community. Conversely, for the TMC, the priority is to hold their ground and clear the path for Mamata Banerjee to secure a fourth consecutive term. The final outcome will be revealed when the counting of votes concludes on May 4.
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