<span style="color: #222222;">The high stake battle for Bengal concluded today after a prolonged eight phase election. The electoral battle was waged for 294 assembly seats by over 2000 candidates. AITC and BJP fought the election alone on all the seats. The left parties along with the Congress and Indian Secular Front fought the election as part of Sanjuktha Morcha. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Political heavyweights from all the parties were engaged in a high decibel campaign. COVID surge caused a big concern to the Election Commission that had to cut down on campaign hours and extend the silent period to contain the pandemic. Four candidates in Baishnabnagar, Jangipur, Shamshergunj and Khardaha died of COVID virus. As the voting process concludes today, West Bengal now waits for May 2nd when the counting of votes will be held. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In the previous 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections, the ruling TMC had secured 211 out of the 294 seats. The Congress had won 44 seats while the Left Front had bagged 33 seats and the BJP had won 3 seats. The BJP made deep inroads in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats against TMC's tally of 22 seats out of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. Congress had won two seats, the Left drew a blank.</span><br />''  <br />