West Bengal Elections: CM Mamata Banerjee Releases Candidate List

As the Assembly Elections 2026 approach, political activity in West Bengal has intensified with the announcement of candidates by various parties. This time, the Bhabanipur constituency has emerged as one of the most prestigious and closely watched seats. The key reason for this attention is that opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari is contesting from this constituency, which has traditionally been a stronghold of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Suvendu, who defeated the CM in Nandigram during the previous elections, now faces off against her once again, marking a strategic move by the BJP.

Bhabanipur falls under the Kolkata South Lok Sabha constituency and is also the residence of Mamata Banerjee. The BJP believes that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has weakened here over time. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC candidate won by a margin of 28,000 votes in this segment. However, by the time of the Lok Sabha elections, the gap between TMC and BJP narrowed to just 8,000 votes. Additionally, the BJP is estimated to have gained significant ground in several wards during local body elections.

Recently, as part of a special revision of voter lists in the state, a significant number of voters were reportedly removed from Bhabanipur approximately 47,000 names. This number is only 11,000 less than the margin by which Mamata Banerjee had previously won. Suvendu Adhikari, once a trusted ally of Mamata Banerjee, has become her primary rival after joining the BJP. Having won twice from Nandigram and even defeating the Chief Minister there, Suvendu now presents a major challenge in Bhabanipur. While Mamata Banerjee remains confident of winning even if by a narrow margin political analysts suggest that she faces a tough test in this election.