The first round of the highly-anticipated, multi-phased assembly election in Assam and West Bengal ended on Saturday. A total of 77 (47 Assam, 30 West Bengal) constituencies, deciding the fates of 455 candidates, from both states went to polls in the first phase. Voting for the 126-member Assam constituency will be held in three phases, while Bengal will elect members to its 294 constituencies over eight phases. 

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In Assam, a voter turnout of 72.14% was recorded till 6 pm, while Bengal saw a turnout of 79.79% till the same period. 

The second and third phases of voting in Assam are scheduled for April 1 and April 6, while the subsequent round of polls in Bengal will be held on April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Results, for all five states going to polls – including Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, will be declared on May 2.

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The fate of the hotly-contested West Bengal election is the most anticipated of all, as the Bharatiya Janata Party is looking to overthrow the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and establish its maiden government in the state. 

The saffron party has been building up to the elections for a long time – one can say West Bengal has been their primary objective since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party has made great strides towards fulfilling that goal in recent months, with a host of key TMC leaders, including Suvendhu Adhikari and others, joining the BJP. 

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On the other hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stressed that the outflux of leaders from her party will not dent their chances of re-election and is has adopted the slogan ‘Khela Hobe’ (roughly translating to ‘Game On’) to take on the BJP juggernaut. 

Meanwhile, in Assam, the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government is looking to retain power. It is contesting the election alongside the Asom Gana Parishad (AGM) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).

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Its main challenger is the grand alliance between the Congress and five other parties, inclduing All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation and the Anchalik Gana Marcha (AGM).