Will BJP make debut or Mamata's TMC get record third stint in Bengal? Opinion polls differ

West Bengal is set to witness one of the most intense Assembly elections in the recent history. Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, which has been ruling the state since 2011, is engaged in cut-throat battle with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is pushing hard to win the state that was once a Left citadel. The high-decibel campaigning in West Bengal has seen the BJP unleashing its star team, including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani and others targeting Mamata continuously. Mamata's old trusted aides Suvendu Adhikari, Mithun Chakraborty and several others have switched sides and are now campaigning against her as BJP members. The BJP has set a target of winning 200 seats, on the other hand TMC is confident of securing a third consecutive term. What is the mood of Bengal? 

West Bengal Opinion Poll 2021 HIGHLIGHTS: 

BENGAL OPINION POLL 2021

Opinion polls have predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party will make a big gain in West Bengal. However, the saffron party is likely to fall short of the magic mark of 147 seats, winning 143 seats in the 294-member House. Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee is likely to get 132 seats. The Congress-led alliance will secure 19 seats.

CVoter Opinion Poll 

CVoter opinion poll has predicted majority for the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. It said that the TMC could get around 160 seats in the 294 member House. The BJP is likely to secure 112 seats while the Congress-led alliance will settle with 22 seats.

CNX Opinion Poll 

According to the CNX Opinion poll released on March 23, the BJP is likely to win 135 seats while the TMC is likely to bag 141 seats. The Left, Congress alliance is likely to win 16 seats.

In the CNX opinion poll released on March 8, the saffron party is likely to win 107 seats. The TMC will get 159 seats and the Congress-led alliance 26 seats.

The CNX opinion poll released on Feb 15 predicted that the BJP will get 117 seats while the TMC will pocket 151 seats. The Congress-led alliance is predicted to win 24 seats.

Peoples Pulse Opinion Poll

According to Peoples Pulse opinion poll, the Bharatiya Janata Party will form the next government in West Bengal with a thumping majority. It predicted that the saffron party will win 183 seats while the ruling Trinamool Congress will emerge as the second largest party with 95 seats. The Congress-led alliance is likely to pocket 16 seats. The Bengal Legislative Assembly comprises 294 seats. A party or an alliance needs to secure at least 147 seats to stake claim to form government.

NORTH BENGAL 28 Seats

The Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to win 24 seats. The Trinamool Congress is likely to get 3 seats and the Congress-led alliance 1 seat. The region comprises Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri.

GREATER MALDA 49 seats

The Trinamool Congress is likely to win 23 seats in the region while 14 seats will go to BJP's kitty. The Congress-led alliance is projected to win 12 seats. The region comprises Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur. The region has a strong dominane of Muslim population. The BJP clearly appears to be struggling in the region, on the other hand Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is likely to keep its Muslim votabank intact, Peoples Pulse Opinion Poll conducted in the month of December last year shows.

CENTRAL BENGAL 49 seats

According to the Peoples Pulse Opinion Poll, the BJP is projected to win 34 seats while the Trinamool Congress is likely to get 14 seats. The Congress-led alliance will get just one seat. The region comprises Birbhum, Nadia, Paschim Bardhaman and Purba Bardhaman. Central Bengal is one such region in the state where polarisation is likely to have a big impact on election results. 

JANGALMAHAL 42 seats

The Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to win 35 seats in the region. The Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee is projected to secure just 7 seats. Once a hub of Maoist activities, the region has swung from the Left to Trinamool Congress and in 2019 general elections to the BJP. This region comprises Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and Jhargram.

SOUTH BENGAL 126 SEATS 

According to the Peoples Pulse Opinion Poll, the BJP is projected to win 76 seats while the TMC will get 48 seats. The Congress-led alliance will settle with 2 seats. The South Bengal area comprises Kolkata, Hooghly, Howrah, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur.

BENGAL POLLS 2021: The eight phases polling in West Bengal will take place on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Results will be declared on May 2. The term of West Bengal Legislative Assembly will expire on May 30.

BENGAL POLLS 2021: The BJP has emerged as the ruling TMC's main rival by winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the 2019 general elections. With the BJP's strength increasing in the state in the last few years, its leaders are upbeat that the party will end Mamata Banerjee's 10-year rule in the assembly polls.