The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are locked in an in depth contest for West Bengal’s 294 seats, exit polls confirmed on Thursday, with a few of them giving chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s celebration an higher hand within the fiercely fought election battle.
2016 outcomes: The TMC gained 211 of the 293 seats it contested. The BJP might handle simply three (it contested 291 seats). The alliance of Left events and the Congress gained 76 seats. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha gained three, whereas one seat was gained by an impartial candidate.
2021 predictions:
Republic CNX: BJP 138-148 seats, TMC 128-132 seats
ETG Research: BJP 105-115 (39.1% vote share), TMC 164-176 (42.4% vote share)
ABP CVoter BJP 109-121, TMC 152-164
Times Now CVoter: BJP 115, TMC 158
The large contest
The highlight is on the battle floor state of Bengal, the place the BJP is trying to finish a decade-long-rule of the TMC. The run-up to the eight-phase polls and the month-long voting train within the state have been filled with thundering rallies, high-pitched confrontation and a collection of controversies that catapulted Bengal to the centre stage of nationwide politics.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union residence minister Amit Shah led the BJP’s cost, Banerjee tried to place up a spirited defence in her bid for a 3rd straight time period. The BJP management has set a goal of successful no less than 200 of the state’s 294 seats. On the opposite hand, the TMC maintains its rival is not going to cross the three-figure mark.
Development, polarisation, caste politics, corruption, infiltration and a conflict of cultures have dominated the political rhetoric.
The BJP has promised all-round improvement within the state, accused the TMC of rampant corruption and appeasement politics, and promised to cease infiltration by the Bangladesh border. The TMC has denied all prices and termed the BJP a celebration of “outsiders” that didn’t perceive Bengal’s points. According to analysts, the BJP has centered on consolidating Hindu votes slicing throughout caste strains, whereas the TMC has tried to enchantment to the bigger thought of Bengaliness.
Both sides petitioned the Election Commission towards the opposite on quite a few events, with the TMC alleging the ballot watchdog of working below the strain of the Centre’s ruling BJP. A large controversy erupted within the state after 4 folks have been killed in firing by central forces in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi through the fourth section of polling.
Bengal has historically voted overwhelmingly in favour of the celebration that involves energy. But will it’s the identical this time? Exit polls counsel in any other case. To be certain, exit polls have gotten it flawed usually previously with a piece of analysts arguing that the temper of a handful of voters surveyed for the train couldn’t symbolize the true image. So, it’s over to the counting day.
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