EC likely to announce polls in TN, 4 more states at 3 p.m today

New Delhi: The Election Commission will announce the schedule for Assembly elections in the five States of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry at 3 p.m today.

Polling is likely to be held in five to six phases between mid-April and mid-May.

Of the five states, the BJP is expected to have a chance of winning only in Assam, where the Tarun Gogoi government is in power. BJP had done well in the state in both the 2014 Lok Sabha poll as well as the subsequent local polls.

In Tamil Nadu, AIADMK chief minister J Jayalalitha will fight the DMK, which has tied up with the Congress. In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress will seek to make a comeback.  

However, the BJP is yet to stitch an alliance with DMDK, led by DMDK's Vijaykanth. Makkal Nala Koottani (People's Welfare Alliance) of four parties -- MDMK, CPI, CPM and VCK-- has already begun poll campaigns.

A direct fight between UDF and LDF will pan out in Kerala, though the BJP is trying to emerge as a third alternative.

This round of Assembly polls is set to see a heavy deployment of Central forces, mostly in West Bengal. The EC had sought 700-800 companies, comprising around 70,000-80,000 personnel, from the Union home ministry to stand guard over the polls.

Though the home ministry conveyed its limitation in sparing such a large number of forces, a final meeting ground was worked out through several rounds of consultation between senior EC and home ministry officials over this week.

The model code of conduct will come into immediate force soon after the announcement of the poll schedule.

The terms of the incumbent state Assemblies are ending between May 22 and June 5, and the EC will look to finish the poll process by mid-May, leaving a few days for government formation.

In 2011, the five states had gone to polls over six phases between April 18 and May 10, with counting held on May 13.

While Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry had a single-day poll, Assam voted in two phases and West Bengal, six. EC sources indicated a similar pattern of phases may be followed this time around too.

Most of the Central forces will be concentrated in West Bengal, where many booths are seen as sensitive. A senior EC official said the commission will go for 100 per cent deployment of central forces at the booth level in the TMC-ruled state.

"The para-military personnel will not only be sent in requisite numbers to the state but their movement and utilisation will be reviewed and monitored on a daily basis by EC through the chief electoral officer, general observers and micro-observers. Flag-marches will be conducted and a day-to-day utilisation chart maintained for review by EC," a senior EC functionary said.