Kolkata, March 16: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, announcing nominees for a large number of constituencies and setting up several high-profile electoral contests across the state.
The biggest highlight of the list is the candidature of Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who has been fielded from two constituencies Nandigram and Bhabanipur, currently represented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The move signals the BJP’s attempt to create a direct political contest with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo in one of the most closely watched battles of the election.
Suvendu Adhikari to fight from Bhabanipur and Nandigram
Adhikari’s candidature from Bhabanipur in south Kolkata is being seen as a strategic challenge to Mamata Banerjee. The constituency became Banerjee’s seat after the 2021 Assembly election when she contested and won a bypoll there to return to the Assembly.
At the same time, the BJP leader will defend Nandigram, the constituency where he defeated Banerjee in the fiercely fought 2021 Assembly election. In that election, Adhikari secured around 110,000 votes, edging past Banerjee by a margin of just under 2,000 votes after a bitter and closely contested campaign.
The Nandigram victory was politically significant as it marked the only defeat for Banerjee in the 2021 polls even though the TMC returned to power with a comfortable majority statewide.
By fielding Adhikari again from Nandigram and simultaneously from Bhabanipur, the BJP appears to be attempting both to retain its symbolic 2021 victory and mount a direct challenge to Banerjee in her current constituency.
Other prominent names in BJP’s first list
The party’s first list also includes several prominent leaders and sitting MLAs, reflecting a mix of established political figures and candidates who contested in previous elections.
Dilip Ghosh – Kharagpur Sadar
Former BJP state president and senior party leader Dilip Ghosh has been nominated from Kharagpur Sadar in Paschim Medinipur district. Ghosh had earlier represented the seat and remains one of the BJP’s most recognisable faces in the state’s organisational structure.
Agnimitra Paul – Asansol Dakshin
BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul has been fielded again from Asansol Dakshin in the industrial belt of Paschim Bardhaman. She won the seat in the 2021 election, defeating her rival with a significant margin and emerging as one of the prominent BJP legislators from the region.
Rudranil Ghosh – Shibpur
Actor-turned-politician Rudranil Ghosh will contest from Shibpur in Howrah district. He had contested from the same constituency in the previous Assembly election but lost to the Trinamool Congress candidate. The BJP has renominated him as it attempts to expand its influence in the Howrah urban belt.
Bankim Chandra Ghosh – Chakdaha
The party has nominated Bankim Chandra Ghosh from Chakdaha in Nadia district, a constituency where the BJP has been trying to strengthen its organisational presence after making gains in the region during the last election.
BJP’s electoral strategy in Bengal
The early release of a large list of candidates suggests the BJP is aiming to accelerate campaign preparations and strengthen booth-level mobilisation ahead of the polls.
In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election, the BJP emerged as the principal opposition force by winning 77 seats, a sharp rise from its previous tally. However, the Trinamool Congress retained power by securing a decisive majority in the 294-member Assembly.
Political analysts believe the BJP’s strategy in the upcoming election includes projecting strong regional leaders, contesting symbolic seats, and consolidating its support in areas where it performed well previously, particularly in north Bengal and parts of western districts.
The contest between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress is expected to dominate the electoral narrative, especially if a direct confrontation emerges between Suvendu Adhikari and Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.
With additional candidate lists expected in the coming days, the political temperature in West Bengal is likely to rise as parties intensify campaigning for one of the most closely watched Assembly elections in the country.
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