Exit polls point to Left sweep in first phase

Kolkata, Apr 17 (UNI) The Left Front is all set to sweep the first phase polls for 45 seats in three districts of West Bengal held today, according to the exit polls of three regional 24-hour news channels.

Elections were held for three districts---West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura where the Left front is expected to do exceedingly well in repeat of its show in the past assembly elections.

According to 'Star-Ananda', Left Front is all set to make a clean sweep of the first phase of the polls bagging 42 of the 45 seats for which elections were held today. The remaining three seats would be shared by the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Independents.

'Kolkata TV', another 24-hour news channel in Bengali, predicted 38 seats in favour of the Left Front. In their exit poll analysis, which looked far more conservative, they gave 3 seats each to Trinamool Congress and Congress, while one seat was accorded to the others.

Their first exit poll at 1400 hours had shown 40 seats in favour of the Left Front and five to others. But the picture changed in the second exit poll Kolkata TV flashed at 1800 hrs.

However, it is 'Chobbis Ghonta' (24 Hours) that gave the most prosaic analysis of the three districts. According to the channel Bankura is all set to make a clean sweep in favour of Left Front.

The ruling Front is expected to bag all the 13 seats in the district.

In West Midnapore, the Left Front is expected to get 18 seats of the 21 in the districts. Trinamool Congress is expected to bag two and Congress one. In Purulia, the Left Front is expected to lose two seats and bag seven. Congress and Trinamool Congress are expected to get two seats each.

In the total analysis Left Front is expected to get 38 seats, while of the remaining seats Trinamool Congress is expected to get four and Congress three.

However, all the channels warned against one to two per cent swing either way as exit polls are never foolproof. But either way it does not change the composite picture of a sway in favour of the Left Front.

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