New Delhi, March 23: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is gearing up for a tough contest in the Bhawanipur assembly constituency in South Kolkata, facing off against opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari. Despite projecting confidence, the Trinamool Congress is taking no chances.
In the 2021 assembly elections, Banerjee lost to her former ally Adhikari in Nandigram by nearly 2,000 votes. Subsequently, she contested again from Bhawanipur to secure her third term as Chief Minister.
Buoyed by his previous victory, Adhikari has urged BJP leadership to allow him to run against Banerjee once more, this time from his home turf. The party agreed, but he was also asked to file nominations from Nandigram.
In the 2021 by-elections, Banerjee won the Bhawanipur seat by a margin of approximately 59,000 votes, significantly increasing her party’s vote share compared to Adhikari’s 58 percent.
In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool’s Mala Roy won the Kolkata South seat and led in all assembly segments, including Bhawanipur, where she had a lead of about 6,500 votes. However, the BJP was ahead in five wards of Bhawanipur.
Ahead of the elections scheduled for April, the state leadership of Trinamool has been tasked with reaching out to voters at the booth level. State president Subrata Bakshi, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, South Kolkata district president Debashish Kumar, and local councilors have been assigned to highlight the welfare initiatives undertaken during Banerjee’s tenure.
The second phase of elections in Bhawanipur is set for April 29. The Trinamool party has planned a month-long campaign starting March 23, with Banerjee addressing rallies across the state. Reports indicate she has instructed party workers to remain vigilant on polling day, May 4, until the counting is complete, warning against any potential irregularities.
Trinamool leaders have suggested that Banerjee’s defeat in Nandigram was due to late power outages and alleged scuffles during the counting process. This time, they have urged party members to be alert regarding power cuts and emphasized that attempts to overturn the mandate could occur later.
Meanwhile, the BJP candidate is relying on the Election Commission’s special intensive revision of voter lists aimed at removing alleged fake voters. Additionally, they seek to capitalize on anti-incumbency factors related to law and order and corruption.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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