Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made Shubhendu Adhikari its candidate from Bhawanipur, the assembly constituency of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. The same Shubhendu has defeated Mamta from Nandigram in 2021. Now the question is, will he be able to do the same feat in Bhawanipur as he did in the 2021 assembly elections?
In the 2021 assembly elections Bhawanipur TMC’s victory margin was 28,000 votes. But in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it came down to only 8,297 votes. Not only this, in 2024 BJP took lead in 149 out of 269 booths in Bhawanipur. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, TMC had lagged here by 185 votes.
But TMC’s stronghold is very strong
Since 2011, a total of 8 elections have been held here – 3 Assembly, 3 Lok Sabha and 2 by-elections. Of these, TMC has won or gained lead in 7. TMC lost only in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Mamta has registered a big victory in both the by-elections here with more than 70 percent vote share.
Mixed population of Bhawanipur
This area is very diverse in terms of population. 40 percent Bengali voters, 40 percent Gujarati, Marwari, Bihari, Sikh and others. 20 percent are Muslims. BJP is especially eyeing non-Bengali votes, which can go in its favor.
Also read: Ground Report: Mamta’s auspicious and inauspicious and the story of this small room in Kalighat
What does history say?
Earlier this seat was the stronghold of Congress. In 1957 and 1962 west bengal The then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Siddharth Shankar Rai won from here. This seat did not exist between 1967 and 2011. It was formed again after delimitation in 2008 and since then TMC has been winning every assembly election.
What will happen in 2026?
If Mamata Banerjee If she contests elections from Bhawanipur itself then this contest will be very exciting. TMC is dreaming of a big victory like the 2021 by-elections, while BJP is hoping that the decreasing vote margin and non-Bengali voters will work in its favor.
—- End —-
Source link
[ad_3]
