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Bengal

A see-saw battle expected in Asansol with TMC having slight edge

Asansol South and North are probably the two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal where the leaders of all the parties are banking on the BJP voters and are trying hard to woo them.

Though Trinamool Congress had won from both the seats in 2011 but the people voted for BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections and Babul Supriyo was elected from this seat. 

Later, he became the Union minister of state for Urban Development.

If we take a quick glance at the results of 2011 Assembly election, we find that Trinamool candidates Tapas Banerjee and Moly Ghatak contesting from 

Asansol South and North had defeated their candidates handsomely. While Banerjee and Ghatak got 89,645 and 96,011 votes respectively, their CPI(M) rivals Ashok Mukherjee and Ranu Roy Chowdhury got 61,104 and 48, 218 votes. BJP candidates Paban Kumar Singh and Madan Mohun Chowbey got 6,706 and 6,750 votes from these two seats.

However, in 2014 Lok Sabha poll, in less than three year time BJP’s vote bank has witnessed a phenomenal rise and Babul Supriyo got a lead of 21, 062 votes from Asansol South and 24, 968 votes from Asansol North. 

Trinamool Congress candidate Dola Sen got 55,353 votes in Asansol South and 54, 784 votes in Asanaol North segment. Left Front got 33,214 votes in Asansol South while Congress got 6,671 votes. Supriyo got 76, 415 votes. 

In Asansol North, Left Front got 24, 475 votes and Congress got 8,523 votes. Supriyo got 79,784 votes.

Considering Lok Sabha voting pattern, if the BJP is able to retain its votes, there is high possibility for TMC and alliance candidates to face landslide defeat. 

The biggest question that faces BJP is whether it will retain its vote bank. The chances, however, seem gloomy. Though Narendra Modi had addressed a meeting in Asansol, the Modi wave is completely missing and his popularity has also nosedived over the past few years.

It is evident that there will be a fight between two TMC candidates and their alliance counterparts. 

Though there are sizable non-Bengali voters in the area, there is a strong undercurrent in favour of TMC. The alliance leaders have said that there was tacit understanding between Modi and Didi.

The schemes taken up by the state government, including Rs 2 per kg rice, Kanyashri and Kanyasathi, have had a major impact on the electorates. 

Also, majority of people were not in favour of the alliance in this industrial town that has witnessed closure of factories due to militant trade unionism.  Though everybody is expecting a tough fight between the ruling party and Opposition, but the scale is undoubtedly tilted towards TMC.
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