West Bengal Sees Record Turnout: Past 5 Elections Show Rising Voter Participation | NewsX

Hinzugefügt: 2026-04-30

[00:00:05][music] >> Welcome viewers. You're watching News X and I'm Vaishali Kohli.

[00:00:12]Now West Bengal has recorded a historic voter turnout in the 2026 assembly elections with polling touching an impressive 92.9%.

[00:00:24]The surge is driven by strong participation, especially among women and unusually high voting in several Kolkata constituencies during the final phase.

[00:00:36]Election Commission data shows over 92% turnout even in the second phase alone, reflecting intense voter engagement across the state.

[00:00:46]The high turnout viewers comes amid large-scale revisions of voter rolls, making this one of the most closely watched electoral exercises. A massive mandate now awaits decoding on the counting day, May 4.

[00:01:04]Let's take a look at Bengal's voter turnout in the last five assembly elections. Let me show you that viewers on the big screen. Now Bengal record turnout past five elections is what we're discussing.

[00:01:17]2006, the figure was at an 81.97%.

[00:01:23]2011, 84.33%.

[00:01:26]2016, 83.02%.

[00:01:29]2021, 82.30% and 2026, 92.9% viewers.

[00:01:37]That is a big figure of the year 2026.

[00:01:40]Now highest for Tripura in 2013 was at a 93.57% and highest in Bengal for 2026 was 92.9%.

[00:01:53]So those are of course the turnout percentages that we're discussing and of course in 2013 when we talk about Tripura, the percentage was at a 93.57%.

[00:02:05]Now highest for constituency, let's talk about Manu in Tripura 2018 was 94.6% and in Canning Purba 2026, it's at a 97.70%.

[00:02:19]So that is of course a big comparison there and record-breaking turnouts viewers in Bengal of course a very very exciting countdown to May 4. I have Professor Dr. GVL Shastri. He's a political analyst.

[00:02:35]Professor Professor Shastri, pardon me.

[00:02:38]Welcome. And of course we're talking about the kind of engagement that we're seeing this time.

[00:02:44]But West Bengal of course has recorded a historic 92.9% turnout. Does this signal a wave for change or consolidation of the status quo?

[00:02:57]Absolutely showing some kind of change.

[00:03:00]The change you know, the scenario of the entire West Bengal is completely different.

[00:03:08]The main important point is that it is adjacent to the Bangladesh and Bangladesh migrants are so high population was so high that the government has taken a you know, completely review of the electoral rolls.

[00:03:26]And if you see the last 15 years this government spent almost 32 lakh crores.

[00:03:33]32 lakh crores budget that was what they had utilized it and but after 15 years of rule the situation is so that kind of situation which is at the moment.

[00:03:47]So I think in the development and good area it is completely behind.

[00:03:55]It's not they are not into the after spending 32 lakhs that the government has to explain the 32 lakh crores of the budgets which they utilized for the development and upliftment of the people. Where it is where it is the development.

[00:04:09]So the government rather than addressing because opposition have every right everything to talk but government have a very specific things to talk.

[00:04:18]The talk of the development which they are really did for last 15 years.

[00:04:23]So the last 15 years if they they would have done it they would have spoken on that lines but the narration of principal narration of the governance was completely shifted from food or fights or something which is you know, that shows that the democratic level of maturity as far as the population is concerned it is not even they're not allowing to mature people.

[00:04:45]That's what it is. They are they are diverting the issues. They are not talking about the core issue of the development and the core issue of the development you don't want to touch it because they have ruled 15 years. They are liable and accountable and responsible and they have to talk and they are away from that. If whenever any political parties addressing the issue of that they are not responding. So that is the typical TMC culture.

[00:05:10]So what it is the people have definitely voted for the change. The change it's I don't think it's in favor of Trinamool Congress.

[00:05:20]Maybe Trinamool Congress because of the religion card and religion aspects which they have raised certain platforms uh maybe attract some votes something even I personally visited three four districts. So I saw that there is a there is a commendable change and opposition BJP has given very tough fight towards Trinamool Congress. It is the people to decide whether they are they are throwing the existing incumbent government or not. But general tendency always the electoral the percentage of the votes which you have described for the last two three times it is going up going up. It's now almost touched 90%. It is very absolutely correct. I congratulate the entire West Bengal people and they are very nice and understand the they realize that they their importance and the participation of the democratic values and democracy. Successful democracy it's a festival of democracy which they have they understood it and they respected the Indian constitution and they voted for that fact I really congratulate the people of the state. But having said that but only one point I need to convey is that the this time let's I would have thought I thought of it that TMC would have really because you know, Jyoti Babu ruled the state and he never extensively traveled or he made any gimmicks or any violence.

[00:06:54]But this violence this kind of the kind of violence they prepared because central government used massive forces.

[00:07:02]They don't have option.

[00:07:04]Because the kind of fear they created in the minds of people because I don't know which party it is doing and end of the day they are saying that Trinamool Congress they are saying BJP they are saying somebody else. The antisocial elements have really played they are always played an important So now it is visible. So on the 4th of this this May I think I will have a result in our hand and I'm sure there is a absolute change towards the government because of the 15 years government people wants accountability and responsibility and that showed showed them through a casting vote that is what the lines is clear.

[00:07:50]Professor Shastri, now the fact that women voters have turned out in unprecedented numbers, how decisive could they be in shaping the final mandate?

[00:08:01]No, women voting is very that is the final that is the main component. It is not a man voting.

[00:08:08]The women voters and the consolidation of women voters and particular regions that to 24 and Midnapore and this side Kolkata Howrah and this level areas the 93% even 37% 40% minority votes they also turned up. So I think uh we need to it's a very tough battle and a clear cut battle and clear cut message towards the nation and this is going to be a message for the nation.

[00:08:37]I I personally feel like that because it's very important.

[00:08:41]The kind of turmoil we passed through through Bangladesh and uh we need to give a clarity of message towards the own neighbors also.

[00:08:50]Sometimes it's required because the President Trump has given a message strong message to neighbors like Canada and other countries. Maybe he's given a wrong message.

[00:08:59]But the end of the day we need to give the messages.

[00:09:02]The country needs to opt it. And that in that messages the people will play an important role important role to display and towards our strength towards our neighbors. I feel that the women was very very critical. I congratulate all the women voted for voted towards and participated in the democracy in the festival.

[00:09:26]That's why it is really a big one. It's a very very big one.

[00:09:30]Very very big one and I'm happy for it.

[00:09:32]Yeah.

[00:09:35]Right Professor Shastri, now there is this concept of silent voters.

[00:09:41]Do you think do you think this election has evidence that silent voters have emerged in this election cycle?

[00:09:50]Yes, there is no doubt. Silent voter particularly a section of age of 10 20 25 30 that there is a massive silent vote is there in senior citizens.

[00:10:01]Even senior citizens they're frustrated.

[00:10:04]The frustration level is very high.

[00:10:06]And they want some development to be happening in that particular areas. It's a 15 years rule. The 15 years rule they may not accepting it.

[00:10:15]They may not accepting it and the 15 years rule and I personally feel as an activist it is a responsibility of the government particularly Mamata Banerjee explain the state that 15 years of budgets we utilize like this. This is a process. This is upliftment. This is what we did. These are the people. These are the total population. These are the total population uplifted like this.

[00:10:37]These are the medical graduates have done. These are the industrial development growth industrial growth has taken place. Agricultural growth taken place. These are the optimized auto resources have been categorized and the small sector irrigation and major irrigation and the minor irrigation developed in this way. So there is a comprehensive developmental programs must have discussed in the particular and they would have told the people look this this is what our vision which we have completed 15 years successfully and these they they would have asked voted towards that lines but they ignored it.

[00:11:10]They have not described anything like this.

[00:11:13]It's everything everywhere every time it's See Prime Minister Modi or somebody there Home Minister Amit Shah ji to address them there is no point because they they are the central leaders they visiting to support of the local BJP.

[00:11:28]And that that line is the simple but you are the local leader and you are the local chief minister and you are the responsible liable and accountable for the entire development and upliftment of the state which you are enjoying the power of 15 years and you have to describe it. So you see the the tone and the language the TMC supporters and TMC top top brass they have taken that line.

[00:11:53]The principal narrative line which was not on the as per the democracy.

[00:11:57]>> Mr. Shastri we're a little short on time but thank you for joining me on NewsX.

[00:12:01]And I want to go across to Rajlakshmi Joshi. She's a political analyst.

[00:12:07]Rajlakshmi the question really that I want to ask you is that when it comes to this election did the multi-phase election module contribute to higher engagement or do you think it distorts turnout comparisons?

[00:12:23]Uh good morning Vaishali.

[00:12:25]Uh you know you must be aware that in the past uh the one has always had multiple phases of election.

[00:12:33]And that is primarily because there was a huge amount of violence every time.

[00:12:40]So even the smallest election that is even the panchayat election uh or whatever local body elections Lok Sabha election Vidhan Sabha election anything any elections means there is always was violence.

[00:12:57]And it is not just about the last 15 years.

[00:13:01]This was there even during the CPM rule. So even during that time also there used to always be a lot of violence. So this has been a kind of a norm and sadly you know Miss Mamata Banerjee has only been continuing it.

[00:13:19]Ideally what has should have happened is um the fact that she has actually countered all of this and come out victorious after defeating the left parties. She should have actually changed the entire scenario but sadly she continued with it.

[00:13:35]And you have always had a lot of deaths I mean people are actually killed in pre-poll violence post-poll violence on the day of the election.

[00:13:45]So that is the reason why you've always had multiple phases. In fact this time because there was a deployment of this huge number of force uh by the Election Commission that is the reason why they've been able to cut it down to two phases.

[00:14:03]Uh but otherwise I think that this this in fact you know we should be able to appreciate Mr. Ganesh Kumar that he has actually been able to conduct the elections in an extremely uh professional way and in a very transparent manner and in such a way that there has been extremely less violence.

[00:14:23]Uh there were obviously there were incidents of violence but there were no killings as such. I mean it's it feels very ironic to say this but the fact that nobody died in during on any of the two phases that itself is a achievement of sorts. I mean that should not actually be a benchmark but when it comes to West Bengal elections that is how it is Vaishali. So I think that the way in which it was conducted the two phases and the kind of security arrangements that were there I think that that was extremely professional and a very transparent way and we should really compliment Mr. Ganesh Kumar and his entire team for putting in such hard work. Even the our CRPF forces also and I'm glad to say that a lot of the TMC and the Congress people have been calling the CRPF people as goons.

[00:15:24]So that is something that I could not understand because these every everybody the booth level officers the Election Commission officials every the CRPF personnel all of them have actually put in a lot of hard work to ensure safe and peaceful and transparent elections in West Bengal.

[00:15:48]Right Rajla Rajlakshmi. Now if I ask you Rajlakshmi what is your prediction for Bengal? Which party or alliance is structurally better positioned to convert turnout into seats as per you?

[00:16:02]Initially it did look like the TMC had an upper edge uh because very frankly there was a huge fear factor earlier in all the elections.

[00:16:13]So people used to the BJP supporters uh used to not step out because they were always under a huge threat.

[00:16:22]So very frankly this time round the way in which people have actually turned out to vote the the huge turnout that is I think even yesterday I'm not sure what the final figures were but in both the phases it was over 90% so then that I think that that is a huge turnout and it means that people have stepped out in large numbers. Even those people who had never actually stepped out. There were a lot of reasons why they did so but I think that that means that it is hugely in favor of the BJP and I see this number of in the range of 150 to 160 like I had predicted it uh on your show yesterday yesterday afternoon also I had spoken about this. So I see a range of 150 to 160 seats for the BJP and I think that there is going to be this change of power in West Bengal.

[00:17:25]Thank you Rajlakshmi for joining me. Now a major fire viewer