Polling started at 7 am, but low temperatures slowed voter turnout during the early hours. Election officials expect participation to pick up as the day progresses. The State Election Commission has deployed more than 40,000 security personnel and around 15,000 polling staff to ensure peaceful voting.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu cast his vote at the 11-Gyangkhar polling station in Tawang district. In a post on X, he urged citizens to vote in large numbers and exercise their democratic rights responsibly. He said every vote strengthens grassroots democracy and supports community development.

The ruling BJP has already secured major gains without contest. The party won 58 district council seats unopposed, while the National People’s Party claimed one seat. BJP candidates also won four Itanagar Municipal Corporation seats uncontested.

Additionally, 5,037 BJP candidates have been elected unopposed to gram panchayats. Overall, 440 candidates are contesting 186 district council seats. The electorate includes 8,31,648 voters across rural and urban bodies.

The post Arunachal Local Body Voting Begins Amid Tight Security appeared first on India Podcast.

In the post, the BJP accused Banerjee of authoritarian behaviour and described her reactions to criticism as the “frustration of a dictator.” The shared image used morphed visuals to place Banerjee and Hitler side by side, along with a caption suggesting both followed similar styles of governance. The post quickly went viral and triggered strong reactions.

West Bengal’s political climate has already grown tense as parties prepare for the crucial polls. Accusations and counterattacks have dominated public discourse, with social media emerging as a key campaign tool. The BJP’s post marked a sharp escalation in its attack on the Trinamool Congress leadership.

Leaders of the Trinamool Congress strongly condemned the comparison and called it insulting and dangerous. They accused the BJP of poisoning democratic debate and distracting voters from governance failures. BJP leaders defended the post as political criticism and free expression.

The controversy has further widened the rift between the BJP and the ruling TMC. Political observers expect the rhetoric to sharpen as campaigning intensifies across the state.

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