West Bengal Election 2021: Voting for Phase 6 today, 306 candidates in fray

Members of the Matua community and those who reside in Nadia district on the India-Bangladesh border would play a key role in the sixth phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls on Thursday. In the sixth phase, 306 candidates will contest in the 43 constituencies across four districts. Voting will start at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm.

In the sixth phase, polling will be held in 17 constituencies in North 24 Parganas, 9 constituencies each in Nadia and North Dinajpur and 8 constituencies in East Burdwan district.

Karimpur, Thatta, Palashipara, Kaliganj, Nakashipara, Chapra, Krishnanagar Uttar, Nabadwip, and Krishnanagar Dakshin are the nine seats that will go to polls.

The total number of booths in this phase is 14,480 of which 10,897 are primary booths and the remaining 3,583 are auxiliary booths.

There are 22,156 service voters in this phase and 15 people have registered themselves as NRI voters.

2019 Lok Sabha election witnessed a major political shift with BJP establishing its footprints by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats out of the 42 constituencies. But in the 2016 assembly polls, out of these nine seats majority was won by TMC.

Among the high profile candidates, veteran politician and BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy is contesting against first-time contestant TMC's Koushani Mukherjee from Krishnanagar Uttar Assembly seat considered to fall in the Hindu belt.

Another crucial seat Tehatta being contested by Subodh Biswas (CPI-M), Tapas Kumar Saha (AITC), Ashutosh Paul (BJP). As per the 2012 census, Thatta has 12,770 voters with 14.86 percent Hindu and 84.96 percent Muslim population.

Nawadwip known for its religious significance and 98.97 Hindu population as per the 2011 census will be an important seat in this phase. TMC's Pundarikakshya Saha won the seat by defeating Sumit Biswas from CPI-M.

This time Swarnendu Singha (CPI-M), Pundarikakshya Saha (Nanda) (AITC), Siddartha Naskar (BJP) are the key candidates contesting from here.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Wednesday ruled out any change in the schedule of the West Bengal assembly polls and told the Trinamool Congress that its suggestion to club the last three of the eight phases is "not feasible".

The elections for the first five phases have already been completed. Polling for the seventh and the eighth phase will be held on April 26 and April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

The Election Commission had extended silence period for the sixth phase of polls.

(With agency inputs)