New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a crucial electoral cycle that will have deep ramifications for national politics. Roughly 174 million voters across four states and a Union Territory will vote in assembly polls next month.
The polls will be held in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry on April 9, in Tamil Nadu on April 23, and in West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29. The results will be out on May 4.
The elections are a test of survival for strong regional leaders Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin, and Pinarayi Vijayan, who are seeking a fourth, second, and third consecutive term, respectively.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is in power in Assam and Puducherry and hopes to come back to power for a third consecutive time in Assam and form the government in Puducherry.
The elections are also a test of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ability to win territories that have traditionally not warmed up to its ideological or electoral appeal.
The ECI has set up 218,807 polling stations and deployed around 2.5 million officials, including 1.5 million election officials, 850,000 security personnel, and 49,000 micro observers for polling.
The elections are expected to be fiercely contested, with the Opposition hoping to stem the tide of losses that followed its stellar performance in the 2024 general elections.
