Kumar Bahukhandi
The BJP has fielded Suvendu Adhikari against Mamata Banerjee in her Bhabanipur constituency for the Bengal elections. (File Photo: BJP)
The BJP has released its first list of candidates for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. According to this list, Suvendu Adhikari has been fielded against Mamata Banerjee from the Bhabanipur constituency. This move is being hailed as a “masterstroke” by the BJP.
Kolkata : The BJP has officially released its initial list of candidates for the West Bengal Assembly polls. As per this list, the party has pitted Suvendu Adhikari against Mamata Banerjee in the electoral battle for the Bhabanipur seat. This move is widely regarded as a calculated and well-thought-out strategy by the BJP.
According to internal sources, the BJP had been contemplating fielding Suvendu Adhikari from Bhabanipur for several days. The primary objective behind this decision is to keep Mamata Banerjee tied down within her own constituency.
The BJP believes that Suvendu Adhikari’s presence in the fray will compel Mamata Banerjee to devote significantly more time to Bhabanipur, thereby impacting her campaigning efforts across the rest of Bengal. It is worth recalling that in the 2021 Assembly elections, Suvendu Adhikari had defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram.
Mamata Banerjee’s Strategy
Typically, Mamata Banerjee contests the election from the Bhabanipur seat; however, she usually devotes very little time to campaigning there. She remains confident that she can secure a victory from the constituency even without active campaigning, allowing her to reserve her entire time for electioneering in other parts of Bengal.
Diversity and Social Equations in the Candidate List
The BJP’s first list of candidates features not only prominent political figures but also individuals representing various sections of society. Notably, the first list includes Soumitra Chattopadhyay—a descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the composer of ‘Vande Mataram’—who has been nominated as the candidate for the Naihati constituency.
The BJP’s declared candidates include 41 sitting MLAs, 3 former MLAs, and 2 former Members of Parliament (Swapan Dasgupta from Rashbehari and Dilip Ghosh from Kharagpur Sadar). Out of a total of 144 seats, tickets have been allotted to 23 teachers, 8 social workers, 6 lawyers, 5 doctors, and 3 journalists.
Opportunities for Women and Youth
The list also features 3 spiritual leaders, 3 ex-servicemen, 2 personalities from the film industry, and cricketer Ashok Dinda. In its first list, the BJP has endeavored to provide adequate representation to both the youth and women. Female candidates have been fielded in 11 constituencies. Furthermore, 36 candidates under the age of 40 have received tickets.
The largest contingent—comprising 72 candidates—falls within the 41 to 55 age group. Additionally, the list includes 32 candidates aged between 56 and 70, and 4 candidates over the age of 70.
