Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to voters in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal to participate in large numbers as polling began for crucial Assembly elections in both states. The Prime Minister described voting as a “sacred duty” and made a special call to young voters and women to help drive a strong turnout.
Polling Underway in Key State Elections
Voting commenced across all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, while West Bengal began polling in 152 seats in the first phase of its two-stage election. Election authorities have put in place extensive security arrangements to ensure smooth polling.
According to the Election Commission, Tamil Nadu has more than 5.73 crore registered voters, including 2,93,04,905 women, 2,80,30,658 men, and 7,728 third-gender voters.
In West Bengal, the current phase covers 152 of the state’s 294 Assembly seats, with the second phase scheduled for April 29.
PM’s Appeal to Voters
In separate messages, Prime Minister Modi urged citizens in both states to exercise their franchise enthusiastically.
He described voting as a “sacred duty” of democracy and called on people to participate in large numbers to strengthen the democratic process.
The Prime Minister placed particular emphasis on youth and women voters, urging them to come out in record numbers and play an active role in the elections.
Main Political Contests
Tamil Nadu
The election in Tamil Nadu is being closely watched as a major contest between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The polls have also drawn additional attention with actor-turned-politician Vijay entering the political arena through his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), adding a fresh dimension to the state’s electoral landscape.
West Bengal
In West Bengal, the primary contest remains between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
A total of 1,478 candidates are contesting in the first phase, underlining the high political stakes in the state.
Why This Election Matters
These Assembly elections are politically significant for both state and national politics.
Tamil Nadu’s results will offer an indication of whether the incumbent alliances retain voter confidence, while West Bengal’s contest is being viewed as a major test of the BJP’s efforts to challenge the TMC’s dominance.
High voter turnout is often seen as a strong indicator of public engagement and can play a decisive role in closely fought elections.
Next Steps
Polling in Tamil Nadu will continue until 6:00 pm, while West Bengal’s remaining constituencies will vote in the second phase next week.
The counting of votes for both states is scheduled for May 4, when the results are expected to have wider political implications ahead of future national contests.
inputs and images : Hindustan samachar
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Edited By D.Rishidhar Reddy
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