The political battle has intensified in West Bengal ahead of the assembly polls in April. The Election Commission of India had announced earlier that voting in the Bengal elections will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and 29. The first phase in the state will cover 152 constituencies, and the second phase will cover 142 seats. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is contesting the 2026 assembly polls from the Bhabanipur seat against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari. (HT/PTI)
The battle, largely, will be between the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), to stake claim of the CM seat. Since the announcement of the polling dates, leaders from both the parties have thrown strong words at each other.
Speaking at a summit in Delhi last week, PM Narendra Modi attacked TMC president and current CM Mamata Banerjee, saying the ruthless state government has constantly put brakes on the development in Bengal. “West Bengal used to be a hub of culture, education, industry, and trade at one time. In the last 11 years, the central government has invested a large amount in the development of West Bengal, but unfortunately, there is such a ruthless government there that is putting the brakes on development,” Modi had said.
Meanwhile Mamata has alleged that the BJP is trying to include illegal voters from NDA-ruled Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the electoral rolls of the state to turn the poll outcome in favour of the saffron party.
While the war of words continue, let's look at which could be the five most-closely fought seats in the upcoming elections.
Also Read: Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of attempting to enrol outsiders as voters
Nandigram Nandigram remains a key political battleground, represented by two-time MLA Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, who is also seen as one of the party’s key faces in West Bengal and a potential chief ministerial candidate.
Adhikari has maintained a strong hold over the constituency. In the 2021 assembly elections, he secured nearly 49 percent of the votes and notably defeated Mamata. In 2016, his vote share wa even higher, reportedly in the 65–67% range, underscoring his dominance in the seat.
In a strategic counter, the TMC has fielded Pabitra Kar against Adhikari this time. Kar is a former BJP member and was once considered close to Adhikari. He joined the TMC just hours before his candidature was announced, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest.