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First phase election: Brisk polling in Bengal and Assam

India blooms News Service | | Apr 04, 2016, at 06:25 pm

Kolkata/Guwahati, Apr 4 (IBNS) Voting is underway for the first phase of the crucial assembly polls in West Bengal and Assam on Monday with no major untoward incidents being reported.

According to statistics given by the Election Commission, West Bengal and Assam recorded respectively recorded about 45.14 per cent and 32 per cent polling till 11 30 am.

In West Bengal, polling is being held in 18 of the state's 294 constituencies where a total of 40,09,171 electors are expected to exercise franchise to decide the fates of 133 candidates. Polling in Assam is being held for 65 of the total 126 seats involving 539 aspirants and 95,11,732 voters

In the Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faces a challenge from from Left-Congress combine while in Assam Tarun Gogoi of Congress strives to retain power in the face of a stiff fight of the BJP, leading an alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF).

In West Bengal, the first phase of polling is taking place in state's Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-hit areas which include West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.

Assam Chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who cast his vote in the morning, told reporters that he is forming government for the last 15 years and is confident of a repeat. Gogoi said that though many are predicting otherwise, he and his party are both very confident of a positive result.

Apart fro Gogoi, the other prominent Congress candidates in the fray in Assam are Speaker of the outgoing assembly Pranab Gogoi from Sibsagar and former Union Minister and prominent tea tribe leader Paban Singh Ghatowar.

#West Bengal Assembly polls # Assam Assembly polls # West Bengal # Assam # Assembly polls # Voting begins Assam # West Bengal voting begins

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