2016 West Bengal Assembly Elections Phase 1 (A)for 18 constituencies Monday April 0,2016

Polling for the first phase (1A ) will be held across three districts- West Midnapore (6), Bankura(3) and Purulia (9) parts of which form the tribal-dominated Jangalmahal region, once the hotbed of Maoist extremists that has witnessed prolonged bloodbath and power struggle among the key political forces.

 

The 18 constituencies where polling is scheduled tpo be held on Monday April 04,2016 are -

Nayagram (ST), Gopiballavpur, Jhargram,Salboni, Medinipur, Binpur (ST), Bandwan(ST), Balarampur, Baghmundi, Joypur, Purulia, Manbazar (ST), Kashipur, Para (SC), Raghunathpur (SC), Ranibandh (ST),Raipur (ST) and Taldangra.

 

 

The ruling All India Trinamool congress (AITC), the CPI(M) led Left Front-Congress combine and the BJP among others have fielded candidates for all the 18 seats.

Crossing swords are the main rivals-the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Left Front-Congress combine.

The BJP, another opposition party in the state, is going it alone hoping to maintain the share of votes it recorded at 17% in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and grow as a bigger force in the state.

In the first part of phase one, 133 candidates will try their luck from Left Wing Extremism hit districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura. Out of the 18 constituencies, 13 have been classified as LWE-affected by the Election Commission where voting will end early at 4 pm due to security considerations.

In the remaining five constituencies of Purulia, Manbazar, Kashipur, Para and Raghunathpur voting will go on as usual till 6 pm.