India news: Final West Bengal poll phase begins amid violence, rigging claims
Key takeaways
- Mamata Banerjee's TMC and Narendra Modi's BJP are locked in a high-stakes battle in the final round of voting.
- In the second phase of the West Bengal polls, 1,448 candidates will be contesting for 142 assembly constituencies across seven districts.
- According to The Times of India (ToI), Banerjee alleged widespread interference by central forces and poll observers at the behest of the BJP, the ruling party at the national level.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Mamata Banerjee's TMC and Narendra Modi's BJP are locked in a high-stakes battle in the final round of voting. Meanwhile, rain has provided some respite to the heat in Delhi. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Cykr In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi urged the people of West Bengal to vote in large numbers Image: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFPAdvertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Today, 1,448 candidates will be contesting for 142 assembly constituencies Modi's BJP is trying to make inroads into the state it has never been in power in TMC's Mamata Banerjee alleged widespread interference by central officials at the behest of the BJP Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from parts of the state Here is a roundup of the latest developements from India on Wednesday, April 29:
04/29/2026April 29, 2026West Bengal polls: It's Modi's BJP vs Mamata Banerjee's TMCAbout 32.1 million electors will decide the fate of 1,448 candidates in the second phase of the West Bengal pollsImage: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFPVoting began on Wednesday in the final phase of assembly elections in West Bengal amid reports of violence and technical glitches at polling stations, media reports said.