Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests across Bengal

The rift between the Congress-Left combine and the TMC, fighting separately, has intensified as the final five phases of polls draw closer. Local issues such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of School Service Commission (SSC) jobs, incidents in Sandeshkhali, and implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are altering election dynamics in West Bengal. The Left-Congress alliance is fast gaining traction in several seats, turning the polls into a three-cornered contest in at least 18-20 LS segments.