The voter turnout in Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly election was recorded at 91.78%. TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated after voting in Nadia that the 2026 election is witnessing “revenge voting,” reflected in the high turnout. She added that “27 lakh people have been denied their franchise despite being valid voters.”

Taking a dig at the opposition, Moitra said, “About 10 to 12 lakh people live here. There is no railway connectivity, and there is a border. We have no way. So, if the BJP had any sense, they should have built the railway line. Instead, every election, they offer a lollipop and say, ‘Come vote for us, we will bring you the railway line.’”

Adding that the incumbent Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, is a BJP leader, she said, “They should have built the railway line and then sought votes on that. We had no problem.”

She also expressed confidence in forming the government for the fourth time. “We are Bengalis. Nobody is coming here,” said Mahua Moitra.

An hour into the final phase of polling, Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the people of West Bengal to vote in large numbers. He wrote on X, “To free West Bengal from the misrule of fear, syndicates, and corruption in this second and final phase.”

He appealed to voters across Bengal, especially mothers, sisters, and the youth of the state, to exercise their franchise. He added, “Your one vote will not only restore Bengal’s development, but also strengthen the firm resolve to take strict action against infiltrators and realise the dreams of Bengal’s youth.”

TMC MP Mahua Moitra has cast her vote at a polling booth at Karimpur Girls’ High School in Nadia. As incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeks to retain power for a fourth term in the state, voting in the final phase is crucial.

Phase 1 was held on April 23, 2026, with a record voter turnout of 91.78%. Phase 2 of the West Bengal Assembly election is expected to see a close contest between the TMC and the BJP, particularly in the TMC’s strongest belt. The ruling party secured 124 out of 142 seats in the 2021 Assembly election.

BJP candidate Arjun Singh from the Noapara constituency cast his vote at a polling booth in Kolkata. The Noapara Assembly constituency is located in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, and is currently represented by TMC candidate Manju Basu. In the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, Singh is contesting against TMC candidate Trinankur Bhattacharjee.

“I have cast my vote. I have voted for change. I have voted for the formation of a BJP government here,” said Arjun Singh.

Sekharranjan Debnath, father of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim, told ANI that they will get justice for their daughter. The victim’s mother, Ratna Debnath, will be contesting from the Panihati seat as a BJP candidate.

“It is very sad that we have to resort to this method to get justice for our girl. But we will win and get justice for our daughter. We are with the public,” said Sekharranjan Debnath.

As the second phase of the West Bengal elections commenced on April 29, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his official X account to urge voters to turn out in large numbers. He wrote, “I urge all those who are voting today to cast their votes in record numbers to make our democracy more vibrant and participatory.” He also appealed to the women and youth of West Bengal to exercise their voting rights.

Who will hold the keys to power in West Bengal? To decide this, the people of the state are once again heading to polling booths today.

The bumper voting in the first phase - more than 92 percent voter turnout - has made predicting fate of the this Bengal's assembly election extremely difficult. Now all eyes are fixed on the second phase of voting, which is taking place today

In the second phase, voting is being held on 142 important seats. These seats are extremely important strategically because they include some of the most discussed areas of South Bengal.

In the second phase of polling in West Bengal, voting is taking place on many hot seats in districts like Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, and South 24 Parganas.

As far as key candidates are concerned, there is a direct contest in Raiganj between TMC’s Krishna Kalyani and BJP’s Kartik Paul. In Balurghat, BJP’s state president Sukanta Majumdar is contesting and facing TMC’s Biplab Mitra. In North Bengal’s Darjeeling, Raju Bista (BJP) and Gopal Lama (TMC) are facing each other. There is also a tough fight between BJP and TMC in Howrah and Kolkata.

In Hooghly and Howrah, BJP is trying to increase its foothold, while TMC is engaged in saving its strong fortress. Along with this, there may also be triangular contests on some seats. The biggest hot seat is going to be Bhabanipur, because here Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari are going to have a direct contest.

Keeping in mind the violence that took place in the first phase, even stricter security arrangements have been made this time. Also, keeping in view the summer season, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has arranged drinking water at every booth.

Follow live updates of the phase 2 polling full day on NewsGram.