Kolkata, April 29 -- Voting began on Wednesday, April 29, in 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, amid unprecedented security arrangements and a high-stakes contest that could decide whether the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) retains its dominance over southern districts or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can force open the gates of power in the state.

Polling started at 7 am with voters lining up outside booths across Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman - districts that together form the political and electoral core of the state.

Unlike the first phase, where the BJP sought to defend its north Bengal gains, the final round shifts the battl...