Campaigning for First Phase of Assembly Polls Ends today in Assam and West Bengal

NEW DELHI: The campaigning for the first phase of the Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal slated on March 27 will end on Thursday evening. As per the Election Commission's schedule, while 47 Assembly seats in Assam will go to polls in the first phase, polling in West Bengal will cover 30 seats.

All kinds of election campaigning will come to an end at 6pm today. As per protocols set by the EC election campaigning ends in a constituency 48 hours before polling there ends. During this period, no person shall convene, hold or attend, join or address any public meetings, processions, etc, and display of election matter by means of television and similar apparatus, the guidelines of ECI said.

While in Assam, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to retain the power, the saffron party is leaving no stone unturned to dethrone the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal.

The BJP is campaigning aggressively to retain power in the state with top leaders from cabinet and different states wooing voters. The saffron party make inroads to state in 2016, whilst dethroning the Congress. It was also the party's first win in any northeastern state. The party has set a target of winning 100 plus seats in the 126-member House this election.

The BJP will be contesting the upcoming elections in alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL).

Meanwhile the Congress has forged a grand alliance to oust the BJP, with parties like AIUDF, CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML), Anchalik Gana Morcha and Bodoland People's Front (BPF).

The assembly elections will be a three-cornered battle with two newly floated regional parties -- the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal.

It needs to be mentioned here that the outcome of the Assam Assembly elections will have an impact on the entire Northeast and it will also be a challenge for the BJP which is expecting to continue making gains through Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government's "East Policy".

Coming to Bengal the ruling Trinamool Congress, headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP are giving a tough fight to each other to capture power in the state. While TMC is battling to retain its power in the state, BJP is competing to make in roads in the state.

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