On April 29, West Bengal will witness the final phase of the assembly election for 35 assembly seats. A total of 283 candidates are in the contest in the final phase.

Main Candidates for the eighth phase

ECI sources stated that while 11 candidates have been fielded by each of the three parties-Trinamool Congress, BSP and BJP, the CPM is contesting in four seats, the Congress in three, AIFB in 2 seats and RSP on 1 seat.

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In the fray, there are four Independent candidates as well. Main focus in the eighth phase of polling will be on five Assembly constituencies in Kolkata north which are Beleghata, Jorsanko, Shyampukur, Maniktala, Kashipur-Belgachia. In these seats, a neck and neck contest is expected between TMC heavyweights and BJP challengers.

In the Shyampukur seat, state minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Shashi Panja is contesting against BJP’s Sandipan Biswas and AIFB’s Jiban Prakash Saha. In the seat of Beleghata, TMC has fielded Paresh Paul against BJP’s Kashinath Biswas and CPM’s Rajib Biswas.

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In Jorasnko seat, BJP has placed Meena Devi Purohit against TMC’s Vivek Gupta and Congress’ Ajmal Khan. The TMC has placed Atin Ghosh in Kashipur-Belgachia against BJP candidate Sibaji Sinha Roy and CPM’s Pratip Dasgupta.

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In the Maniktala Assembly seat, a close contest is expected. Here, state Consumer Affairs Minister and TMC veteran Sadhan Pandey will fight former India footballer and BJP candidate Kalyan Chaubey and CPM’s Rupa Bagchi.

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In the Bolpur Assembly seat of Birbhum, political experts are sensing a tough fight. In that seat, the BJP has fielded Anirban Ganguly against state minister Chandranath Sinha. A keen contest is also expected in Nanoor, Murari and Labhpur.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

Observers are also expecting a similar contest between the ruling TMC and the opposition-party BJP and Samyukta Morcha (Congress-CPM-ISF alliance) candidates in Malda district and 11 seats in Murshidabad district.

Vote counting for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry will take place on May 2.