Kolkata, May 4: The election results for the Manteshwar seat in West Bengal have been announced. BJP candidate Saikat Panja has avenged his 2021 defeat by defeating TMC stalwart Siddiqullah Chowdhury by a margin of 14,798 votes.
In this election, Saikat Panja received 96,559 votes, while Siddiqullah Chowdhury garnered 81,761 votes. Anupam Ghosh from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) received 18,192 votes.
Siddiqullah Chowdhury, a TMC candidate, is 76 years old and holds a postgraduate degree. He has a pending legal case against him. Chowdhury’s total assets are valued at 1.8 crore, with no liabilities reported.
The Manteshwar assembly seat, located in the Purba Bardhaman district, is categorized as a general seat. After the 2009 delimitation, it became part of the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency, previously falling under the Katwa Lok Sabha seat. This constituency comprises ten gram panchayats from the Manteshwar community development block and seven from the Memari 2 block, reflecting its entirely rural character. Saikat Panja, who previously belonged to TMC, contested on a BJP ticket in 2021 but lost to Siddiqullah Chowdhury by 31,508 votes.
Established in 1951, this seat has a rich political history. In the 19 assembly elections held so far (including the 2016 by-election), the Left Front dominated for a long time, winning 11 times, including ten victories by CPI(M) and one by the undivided CPI in 1962. The Congress and TMC have each won three times, while an independent candidate has won once.
In recent years, this seat has gained significant political attention. In the 2016 by-election, Saikat Panja achieved a substantial victory. However, the competition became triangular after he joined the BJP before the 2021 elections, leading to his defeat by TMC’s Siddiqullah Chowdhury. Panja’s switch from TMC to BJP provided the latter an opportunity to emerge as a major contender in the region.
The Manteshwar seat is also significant in terms of its electorate. In 2021, there were 242,229 registered voters, an increase from 233,450 in 2019. The social structure shows that Muslim voters constitute the largest group at 32.30%, followed by Scheduled Castes at 23.88% and Scheduled Tribes at 8.41%. Voter turnout has consistently remained high.
Geographically, Manteshwar is situated in the fertile plains of Bardhaman, where agriculture is the primary livelihood. The Damodar Canal, constructed during the British era, remains a crucial irrigation source, while the flow of the Bhagirathi River influences agricultural practices in the area. Rice, jute, mustard, and vegetables are cultivated extensively, alongside dairy farming and small businesses that bolster the local economy.
Infrastructure in the region has gradually improved. Road connectivity links Manteshwar to towns like Kalna, Memari, and Katwa, while rail services are accessible via the Memari and Nigan stations on the Howrah-Bardhaman main line. Educational facilities include government schools and local colleges, while healthcare services rely on rural health centers and the sub-divisional hospital in Kalna.
Manteshwar is also mentioned in historical records. During British rule, it was a significant police station area within the Kalna sub-division, noted in the 1910 Peterson District Gazetteer. Local committees were active during the anti-Bengal partition movement in 1905 and participated in nationalist activities.
Geographically, Manteshwar is surrounded by towns like Kalna, Memari, and Katwa, with Bardhaman district headquarters located 40 km away. The state capital, Kolkata, is approximately 110 km from here. Additionally, the region borders Nadia, Hooghly, Birbhum, and Murshidabad districts, enhancing its regional connectivity and importance.
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