In the 2021 Assembly polls, the Trinamool Congress won 215 seats in the 294-member Assembly. The BJP finished a distant second, winning 77 seats. While the Trinamool marginally improved on its 2016 tally, the BJP had made a huge jump from winning three seats in 2016 to becoming the main opposition in 2021.
The CPM, which ruled Bengal for three decades, failed to win a single seat. The Congress, which was in alliance with the Left, also drew a blank.
Security has also been a major factor in determining the polling schedule, particularly in West Bengal, which has historically seen intense political battle. Sources say that around 480 battalions of central security forces have already been sent to the state in preparation for the elections. The presence of central forces is aimed at ensuring peaceful voting and maintaining law and order during the election period.