Kolkata, March 6: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on February 26 announced the polling schedule for the West Assembly Elections 2021. The Vidhan Sabha polls in West Bengal will be held in eight phases from March 27 and April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2, and on the same day, results will be declared. The state was ruled by the Left Front, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) for over 30 years. 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.

In 1987, The main competition was between the Jyoti Basu-led CPIM and the Congress led by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to open the account in the elections. In the West Bengal Assembly Elections 1987, The CPIM fielded contestant on 212 seats. Meanwhile, other members of the Left Front, including All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Communist Party of India, fielded 34, 23 and 12 candidates, respectively. West Bengal Assembly Elections 2006: Ahead of Vidhan Sabha Polls 2021, All You Need To Know About Voting, Alliances and Results in the Poll-Bound State in 2006.

In the 1987 assembly elections, the Left Front managed to win 251 seats, out of which CPIM bagged 187 seats.  The Congress won only 40 seats. The Socialist Unity Centre of India bagged two seats, while only one candidate of the Indian Union Muslim League secured a seat in the assembly. Jyoti Basu became the CM for the third time after winning the elections with a thumping majority. Siddhartha Shankar Ray was the CM candidate for the Congress. West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 Dates: Polling in 8 Phases Between March 27 and April 29, Results on May 2; Check Full Schedule Here.

In 2021, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee is seeking her third consecutive term as Chief Minister of the state. This time, the main competition will be between the TMC and the BJP, which is trying to expand its roots in the state. In the recent past, around 50 TMC leaders joined the saffron party. The Congress allied with the Left parties in these elections.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 06, 2021 05:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).