Campaigning ends for high-octane Phase-II; focus now on turnout
The Statesman | 28 April 2026
The intense campaigning for the second phase of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections ended on Monday, ushering in the mandatory silence period ahead of polling on 29 April.
Attention has now shifted to whether voter turnout in this phase will match or exceed the record participation seen in Phase 1 on 23 April.
With campaigning over, attention now turns to polling-day logistics, security arrangements, local dynamics, and weather conditions ~ all of which could influence the outcome. Whether the momentum from the first phase carries forward and shapes the trajectory of this closely contested election will become clearer when votes are counted on 4 May.
A notable feature of these elections has also been that this was not a Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee versus Prime Minister Narendra Modi contest. Instead, the principal challenger for Banerjee in these elections was BJP’s chief strategist and Union home minister Amit Shah, camping in the state for days, orchestrating an extensive campaign. In those terms, the results on 4 May will be a verdict on Shah.
On the final day, top leaders across parties, including the Prime Minister, Amit Shah, and Banerjee, made their last appeals through rallies, road shows, and canvassing. With campaigning now halted, the focus is now on the voter turnout, especially after the unusually high participation in the first phase of polling for the 294-member Assembly.
Incidentally, the 93.2 per cent turnout recorded in Phase 1, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI), surprised political observers and energised political parties, each interpreting the figure to its advantage. Apparently, after the scrutiny of the first phase polling the voter turnout has increased further. The key question now is which political formation stands to benefit from this surge in participation, some analysts suggest that such a high turnout signals a decisive mandate, whether in favour of the ruling TMC or the BJP.
BJP leaders, including Shah, cited the turnout figures to predict significant gains for the BJP. Shah argued that increased voter participation reflects anti-incumbency and public dissatisfaction with the state government, including concerns over illegal infiltration from neighbouring Bangladesh affecting the state’s social fabric and warned “TMC goons” to stay off the streets on 29 April ~ the polling day for Phase-II.
The TMC, however, remains confident that the high turnout reflects continued support for its governance and welfare programmes. In their final appeals, party leaders urged voters to renew their mandate for Banerjee, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term. Meanwhile, Congress-Left alliances view the high turnout as evidence of a closely fought contest, particularly in constituencies expected to see narrow margins.
Analysts say that higher participation can indicate a wave election, and may also reflect effective mobilisation by multiple parties. While West Bengal has historically delivered decisive verdicts, the current contest has additional uncertainty ~ the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the ECI ~ in the run-up in the minds of voters, perhaps resulting in increased participation
The TMC has raised concerns about alleged deletions from voter rolls, while election officials say that the routine revision was aimed at improving accuracy by removing duplicate/ineligible entries and adding new voters across communities.