CHENNAI/KOLKATA: The clock is ticking down to the 6 PM campaigning cutoff, and leaders in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are pulling out all stops ahead of the April 23 assembly polls. From star campaigners to local heavyweights, the final hours are a spectacle of political theater designed to lock in voter loyalty.
BJP’s star power shines in Bengal, with CMs from BJP-ruled states joining the fray. Amit Shah’s Kultai speech lambasted Mamata Banerjee, claiming she ignores youth aspirations and promising a true son of the soil as future CM. ‘No outsider will rule Bengal,’ he asserted firmly.
Mamata’s TMC counters with relentless rallies statewide. Rahul Gandhi and Kharge energize Congress gatherings, while Suvendu Adhikari makes emotional pleas in Tamalku for a BJP mandate. Himanta Sarma’s Bishnupur roadshow and Hema Malini’s Jalpaiguri event, alongside Rekha Gupta’s Asansol drives, amplify BJP’s momentum.
Across the south in Tamil Nadu, DMK, AIADMK, and allies intensify door-to-door and public appeals. Coimbatore sees DMK fervor, Tiruchirappalli a high-profile AIADMK-TVK duel, Thiruvarur a TVK mega-rally, and Chennai NDA optimism from Piyush Goyal. BJP slams DMK on governance failures and family rule down to village levels; AIADMK highlights rising crimes against women.
With Bengal’s phased voting starting April 23 and Tamil Nadu’s full slate that day—counting May 4—these closing salvos could prove decisive. The air is thick with accusations of poor administration and calls for change, as parties race to etch their message in voters’ minds before silence descends.
