Sourav Ganguly and Dona Ganguly Participate in West Bengal Assembly Elections

Ganguly Couple Votes in West Bengal Elections

On Wednesday, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and his wife Dona Ganguly exercised their voting rights during the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections. They cast their votes at a polling station located in South 24 Parganas, where tight security measures were in place to facilitate a smooth voting process.

The second phase of polling is currently taking place across various constituencies, with long lines of voters forming outside numerous booths since early morning. Security personnel have been deployed to maintain order, while election officials are actively monitoring voter turnout and the overall polling process.

Voter Turnout Insights

After casting his vote, Ganguly shared his observations regarding voter turnout, highlighting that the previous phase had seen an impressive turnout exceeding 90 percent. He mentioned, "In the previous phase too, the voting percentage was 90 plus. Let's see, we will get to know by this evening."

As of 11 am on Wednesday, West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 39.97 percent for the 142 seats being contested in this phase. The Election Commission of India reported that Purba Bardhaman led with a turnout of 44.50 percent, followed by Hooghly at 43.12 percent. Kolkata North and Kolkata South had turnouts of 38.39 percent and 36.78 percent, respectively, while Nadia recorded 40.34 percent.

Significance of the Second Phase

The ongoing elections in West Bengal are primarily a contest between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP. This second phase is viewed as a crucial test for the TMC, particularly as voting progresses into its strongholds in South Bengal and Kolkata.

This phase encompasses 142 out of the total 294 seats in West Bengal, with an electorate of approximately 3.21 crore, including 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women, and 792 transgender voters. A total of 1,448 candidates are competing, among them 220 women, across 41,001 polling stations, with over 8,000 stations managed entirely by women.

While 142 seats are contested, significant attention is focused on the 'Big Five' urban contests. Notably, the Bhabanipur seat and Tollyganj, a hub for the Bengali film industry, are high-profile battlegrounds. In the 2021 elections, the TMC secured 123 of these 142 seats. For the BJP, this phase represents an opportunity to gain support from urban voters and the Matua community, while the TMC aims to secure a fourth consecutive term for Mamata Banerjee.

Vote Counting Scheduled

The counting of votes is set to take place on May 4.