In this episode, we begin our state-by-state analysis of the Assembly elections and we begin with the biggest story perhaps, of this whole election cycle, the battle for Nandigram in West Bengal where polling took place today. And that battle is of course between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamamta Banerjee and her one-time close aide Shuvendu Adhikari who had defected to the BJP. We’ll discuss how the battle for Nandigram in some ways presents a microcosm of the entire 8-phase election that is set to take place in the State — a spirited campaign by the Trinamool Congress against the electoral might and machinery of the BJP with the contest, according to many observers, too close to call. And then we’ll take a closer look at how the campaigns from each side in this election has evolved and what lies ahead as the election progresses.
We are joined today by our correspondent on the ground in Kolkata Shiv Sahay Singh.