West Bengal Assembly Elections 1957: A Look Back At Polling, Alliances and Results of The Elections in 1957 Ahead of 2021 Vidhan Sabha Polls
Ahead of the this year's polls, let's have a look at the assembly elections that took place in 1957 when the Congress retained power in the state.
Kolkata, March 16: West Bengal is all set to witness one of the most high-pitched poll battles in recent times. The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule of the assembly elections in West Bengal and political campaigning is intensifying. Ahead of the this year's polls, let's have a look at the assembly elections that took place in 1957 when the Congress retained power in the state. West Bengal Assembly Elections 1962: A Look Back At Polling, Alliances and Results of The Elections in 1962 Ahead of 2021 Vidhan Sabha Polls.
In the West Bengal assembly elections of 1957, the ruling Congress was against two separate coalitions of Left parties and the alliance of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha and the Revolutionary Communist Party of India - United Democratic People's Front. One of the Left alliances was the United Left Election Committee (ULEC), which included the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Praja Socialist Party, the Forward Bloc, Marxist Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party. West Bengal Assembly Election Results From 1952 to 2016: From Congress to Left And TMC, The Rise And Fall of Political Parties in The State Over The Years.
The other Left coalition was the United Left Front (ULF), comprising the Socialist Unity Centre of India, the Bolshevik Party of India, the Republican Party and the Democratic Vanguard. Following the elections, the Congress emerged victorious by winning 152 seats. The ULEC bagged 75 seats and of them 46 were won by the CPI. The Praja Socialist Party won 21 seats ad the Forward Block eight. The UDPF drew a blank. Congress leader Bhidhan Chandra Roy became chief minister for the second time.
However, this time, the electoral contest is between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the alliance of Left and Congress. West Bengal will go to polls in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. Polling will be held on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. The results will be declared on May 2.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 16, 2021 03:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).