Polling began for the by-polls to Bhowanipur and Basirhar North assembly constituencies in West Bengal amid tight security on Sunday morning.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who resigned from her Parliament membership to take over as West Bengal chief minister, is locked in a six-cornered contest in Bhowanipore.
But it will effectively be a contest between Banerjee and Nandini Mukherjee of the CPI(M) which was routed in the recent assembly elections after over three decades of power in the state.
As many as 2.12 lakh voters in Bhowanipur will cast their votes in 264 polling stations while 1.93 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in 239 polling stations in Basirhat North seat, state Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta said.