The 

General election to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal for 292 constituencies of the

294 constituencies in West Bengal was held between 27 March to 29 April 2021 in eight phases.
[2]
 Voting for the two remaining constituencies was delayed and was scheduled to be held on 16 May
2021.[3]

Contents

 1Background
o 1.1Electoral system
o 1.2Previous general election
o 1.3Political developments
 2Political issues
o 2.1COVID-19
o 2.2Cyclone Amphan
o 2.3Citizenship, immigration and refugee issues
o 2.4Other issues
 3Schedule
 4Parties and alliances
o 4.1  Trinamool Congress and allies
o 4.2  Sanjukta Morcha
o 4.3  Bharatiya Janata Party and allies
o 4.4Others
 5Candidates
 6Surveys and polls
o 6.1Exit poll
o 6.2Opinion poll
 7Election
o 7.1COVID-19 guidelines
o 7.2Security preparations
o 7.3Voting
 7.3.1Voter Turnout
 7.3.2Phase I
 7.3.3Phase II
 7.3.4Phase III
 7.3.5Phase IV
 7.3.6Phase V
 7.3.7Phase VI
 7.3.8Phase VII
 7.3.9Phase VIII
 7.3.10Incidents
 8Results
o 8.1Alliance Wise Results
o 8.2District wise Results
o 8.3Results by Polling Phase
 9Constituency Wise Results
 10Nandigram Controversy
o 10.1Events leading up to the day of counting
 o 10.2Events on and after the day of counting
o 10.3Court proceedings
 11Aftermath
o 11.1Violence
o 11.2Government formation
o 11.3Vacant seats and by-election
o 11.4Reactions and analysis
 12See also
 13References
o 13.1Notes
o 13.2Citations
 14Further reading
 15External links

Background[edit]
Electoral system[edit]
Outlined in Article 168 of the Constitution of India, the West Bengal Legislative Assembly is the only
house of the unicameral legislature of West Bengal and not a permanent body and subject to
dissolution.[4] The tenure of the Legislative Assembly is five years from the date appointed for its first
sitting unless dissolved sooner. Members of the Legislative Assembly are directly elected by the
people. The tenure of current West Bengal Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on 30 May
2021.[5]

Previous general election[edit]

In the previous elections in 2016, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) retained its
majority in the Legislative Assembly with 211 seats. The Indian National Congress won 44 seats and
the Left Front won 33 seats fighting within an alliance. While the Bharatiya Janata Party and
the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha managed to win only 3 seats each of the total 294 seats.[6]

Political developments[edit]
In the 2019 general elections AITC won 22 and the BJP won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West
Bengal.[7] Bagging 40 percent of the vote share, an increase from the previous time and in by-
elections from 2016 to 2021, BJP had also increased their seats in the legislative assembly by 31 as
of 2021 through defections from TMC, Congress and Left leaders.[8] According to various political
analysts, the shifting of left and other opposition voters towards the BJP caused the meteoric rise in
BJP's vote share.[9][10][11]

Political issues[edit]
COVID-19[edit]
The COVID-19 pandemic became an election issue.[12][13] The Government of West Bengal was
accused of "fudging" the count of positive cases and deaths in the regions.[14] The AITC-led state
government and BJP-led union government blamed each other for the surge in COVID-19 infections
over the course of the campaign.[15]
The national ruling party BJP's leader Narendra Modi was accused of holding rallies and flouting
COVID-19 rules despite a second wave of the pandemic.[16][17] Tens of thousands of people attended
these rallies. Epidemioligists called it a super spreader event.[18] By 19 April COVID infections cases
had quadrupled from the start of the month. Modi had insisted that rallying was a constitutional right.
  Modi was also accused of misusing the money of PM Cares fund for election purpose.[20][21] The
[19]

BJP accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of not having attended COVID-19 emergency
management meetings held during the months of election campaigning, despite the advent of the
second wave of infections.[22] Mamata Banerjee also held rallies for the election. Sanjukta Morcha
held the first Brigade rally ahead of polling in West Bengal. In mid-April, TMC requested holding the
remaining phases of the elections in a single phase amid the rising number of COVID cases,[23] but
the Election Commission rejected that request.[24]

Cyclone Amphan[edit]

Post Cyclone Amphan situation of Deshbandhu park in Kolkata.

In May 2020, Cyclone Amphan hit the state a year before elections.[25][12] After the passing away of the
cyclone, widespread allegations of mismanagement[26] and relief scam were seen.[27][28] Protest broke
out in various district of the state over these allegations.[29][30] The opposition made it an election issue
ahead of the Assembly polls.[31][32]

Citizenship, immigration and refugee issues[edit]

In 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union Government passed the Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2019 (CAA) in the Indian Parliament, promising citizenship to immigrants and refugees
belonging from the religious minorities in Bangladesh and hoping to provide them with rehabilitation.
[8][33]
 The BJP's Bengali booklet released in January 2020 claimed that the National Register of
Citizens will be implemented to identify allegedly undocumented illegal Muslim immigrants, but
religiously persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Parsi and other religious minorities will
be "shielded" by the Citizenship Amendment Act.[34][35]

Other issues[edit]
Polarisation amongst various religious, linguistic and caste communities are also likely to play a role
in this election.[36] Both TMC and BJP have promised schemes for various communities.[37][38] Although
previously mobilized by Left governments against elites under the 'class' narrative, the Dalits of West
Bengal have started asserting their identity politically.[39][40][41] Religious polarization is particularly
intense in districts bordering Bangladesh such as North 24 Parganas. Arguments regarding who are
native to the state and constituencies are also likely to impact the elections.[42][43][44] Rebellion and
dissatisfaction of many Trinamool leaders are also likely to impact the elections.[45] Also, since 1
December 2020, the Government of West Bengal has operated a scheme of Duare Sarkar, to
provide all the major schemes of Government like Swasthya Sathi, Khadya Sathi, etc. and got a very
high response.[46][47]

Schedule[edit]
The Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora holding a press conference to announce the schedule for
Legislative Assembly election of West Bengal along with Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, in New
Delhi on February 26, 2021. The Election Commissioners, Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar and the senior
officials of ECI are also seen.

Election schedules were announced on 26 February 2021 and the election was held in eight phases
from 27 March 2021 to 29 April 2021 and votes were counted on 2 May 2021.[48][49] On the day of
announcement, the ECI declared that physically disabled and aged voters would get the benefit
of postal voting and the time limit for voting was extended by one hour.[50] Due to polling
abnormalities, re-polling for the booth number 88 of Jangipara was held in the fourth phase.[51] The
elections in Jangipur and Samserganj were adjourned due to the death of the Congress candidate in
Samserganj and RSP candidate in Jangipur.[52] A new schedule for the election in these two seats
were announced and the polling will be held on 13 May 2021.[53] However, due to the day being Eid,
the voting day was again rescheduled for 16 May.[54] Repolling in Amtali Madhyamik Siksha Kendra
polling station in Sitalkuchi Assembly Constituency was conducted on 29 April (due to the incident of
firing by CISF personnel which took place outside that booth on 10 April).[55]

Schedule

Phase

Poll Event I II III IV V VI VII VIII —

 Map of
constituenci
es and their
phases

No. of
Constituenc 30 30 31 44 45 43 34 35 2
ies

Date of Issue 2 5 12 16 23 26 31 31
of March March March March March March March March —
Notification 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021

Last Date for 9 12 19 23 30 3 April 7 April 7 April 26 April

filling March March March March March
2021 2021 2021 2021[a]
nomination 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021

10 15 20 24 31
Scrutiny of 5 April 8 April 8 April 27 April
March March March March March
nomination 2021 2021 2021 2021[a]
2021 2021 2021 2021 2021

Last Date for

12 17 22 26 12 12 29
Withdrawal 3 April 7 April
March March March March April April April 2021[
of 2021 2021
2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 a]

nomination

27 10 17 22 26 29
1 April 6 April 16 May
Date of Poll March April April April April April
2021 2021 2021[54]
2021 2021 2021 2021 2021 2021

Date of 19
Counting of 2 May 2021 May 2021[
Votes 3]

Source: Election Commission of India

Parties and alliances[edit]

  Trinamool Congress and allies[edit]
Map of the seat sharing arrangements of the All India Trinamool Congress for the 2021 West Bengal
Legislative Assembly election.

Both factions of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) expressed support to Trinamool Congress for
the assembly election.[58] Trinamool Congress allotted three seats in the Darjiling to GJM, However
the two factions of GJM, namely Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Bimal) and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha
(Tamang) declared to field their candidates in each of the three seats.[59] Shiv Sena also endorsed
Trinamool for the election.[60] Trinamool Congress supported Independent candidate in Joypur after
their candidate's nomination got cancelled.[61][62]
 Party Symbol Leader Contesting Seats

AIT
All India Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee 290
C

Unrecognise Bimal Gurung

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha GJM 3
d
Binoy Tamang

Independent N/A 1
  Sanjukta Morcha[edit]
On 28 January 2021 Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury announced that seat-sharing talks
between the Congress and Left Front had concluded for 193 seats and that the remaining 101 seats
would be decided at a later point.[63][64] Out of the 193 seats agreed upon by 28 January, 92 went to
Congress and 101 to the Left Front.[63] These 193 seats included agreements over all the 77 seats
the Congress and Left Front had won in the 2016 election.[63] Left Congress and ISF announced that
they will fight together in an alliance named as 'Sanyukta Morcha' from Brigade Rally on 28 February
2021.[65] (It is worth mentioning here that Abbas Siddiqui had also sought an alliance with the TMC,
before becoming part of the “Sanjukta Morcha”, with the Congress and Left parties.[66]) ISF initially
claimed that they have secured 30 seats from the Left Front's quota.[67] After the final seat sharing
agreement was concluded, it was announced that the Left Front will contest on 165 seats, Congress
will contest on 92 seats and ISF will contest on 37 seats.[68][69]
Left Front chairman Biman Bose announced candidates for first and second-phase elections on 5
March alongside Congress and ISF leaders leaving seats for them in the list.[70] Indian National
Congress revealed its first list of 13 candidates for the first two phases on 6 March.[71] Left
Front Announced its second list of candidates on 10 March comprising of several new and young
faces from AISF, AIYF, SFI and DYFI along with some well-known veteran faces including ex-
ministers of Left Front govt and ex-MPs.[72] That day Biman Bose declared DYFI West Bengal state
president Minakshi Mukherjee as the CPI(M) candidate for 'High-Profile' Nandigram (Vidhan Sabha
constituency) seat which was kept vacant in the first list published on 5 March.[73] Congress revealed
its second list of 34 candidates on 14 March.[74] ISF released list of their first set of 20 candidates on
the same day.[75] Sanyukta Morcha announced 15 more candidates on 17 March consisting of 9 from
the Left, 2 from Congress and 4 from ISF camp.[76] Congress revealed its third list of 39 candidates
on 20 March,[77] and two more on 22 March.
Map of the seat sharing arrangement between the parties of the Sanjukta Morcha for the 2021 West Bengal
Legislative Assembly election.

Symbo Contesting
Party Leader(s) Bloc(s)
l Seats

Communist Party of India Surjya Kanta

CPI(M) 137
(Marxist) Mishra[78]

All India Forward Bloc AIFB Debabrata Biswas 18

Revolutionary Socialist Biswanath Left

RSP Front 11
Party Chowdhury

Communist Party of India CPI Swapan Banerjee 10

Marxist Forward Bloc MFB Samar Hazra 1

 Adhir Ranjan
Indian National Congress INC - 91
Chowdhury

Indian Secular Front[b] ISF[69] Abbas Siddiqui - 27

  Bharatiya Janata Party and allies[edit]

Five hill-based parties pledged support to BJP ahead of the assembly election (Gorkha National
Liberation Front (GNLF), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha
League (ABGL), Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha and SUMETI Mukti Morcha.[58] Hindu Samhati, a
right wing organisation in West Bengal, withdrew their support from the BJP initially[80] and later
declared to contest elections on its own,[81] however in the end they supported the BJP.[82] BJP alloted
a seat of Amta constituency to the president of Hindu Samhati to contest on BJP's symbol.[83]

Map of the seat sharing arrangements of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the 2021 West Bengal Legislative
Assembly election.

BJP also allotted the Baghmundi constituency, bordering Jharkhand, to the All Jharkhand Students

Union (AJSU).[84][85]

Symbo
Party Leader Seats
l
 Bharatiya Janata Party BJP Dilip Ghosh 293

All Jharkhand Students AJS

Ashutosh Mahto 1
Union U

Others[edit]
Shiv Sena initially said that they would contest in around 100 seats,[86] but later on 4 March 2021
announced that they would not contest and will instead support Mamata Banerjee and TMC from
outside.[87]

Symbo Contesting
Party Leader(s)
l Seats

Socialist Unity Centre of India

SUCI(C) Provash Ghosh 193
(Communist)

Janata Dal (United)[88] JD(U) Sanjay Verma 40[89]

Communist Party of India Dipankar

CPI(ML)L 12
(Marxist–Leninist) Liberation[90] Bhattacharya

Communist Party of India CPI(ML) KN

4
(Marxist–Leninist) Red Star[91] Red Star Ramchandran

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Asaduddin

AIMIM 7[97][98][99]
Muslimeen[92][93][94][95][96] Owaisi

Bahujan Samaj Party[100] BSP Mayawati 113

National People's Party[101] NPP 2

Candidates[edit]
In 292 seats, a total of 2,132 candidates were in the fray. The voting in 2 constituencies had to be
postponed to 16 May, after the death of one candidate from each constituency.
List of the candidates (constituency wise) of the four main parties/alliance: