New Delhi, February 11: The Moyna Assembly constituency, located in the East Medinipur district of West Bengal, is a significant rural seat that has witnessed changing political dynamics over the years. It is one of the seven assembly segments of the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat, comprising five gram panchayats from the Tamluk block along with the Moyna Community Development Block.
Established in 1951, Moyna has participated in all 17 assembly elections in West Bengal. In its early decades, leftist parties dominated the region, with the CPI(M) winning six times and the CPI securing five victories. The Congress party managed to win three times. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) marked its first victory here in 2011 when Bhushan Chandra Dolai defeated CPI(M) candidate Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by 9,957 votes. Dolai retained the seat in 2016, defeating Congress’s Manik Bhattacharya by 12,124 votes.
However, a significant shift occurred in 2021. BJP candidate Ashok Dinda, a former Indian cricketer, won the seat by a narrow margin of 1,260 votes against TMC’s Sangram Kumar Dolui. The BJP had garnered only 2.59% of the votes in 2011 and 3.24% in 2016, but by 2021, the party had established a strong foothold in the constituency.
The voting trends at the Lok Sabha level are also noteworthy. In the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency, TMC led over CPI(M) by 16,912 votes in 2009 and by 39,803 votes in 2014. The BJP’s vote share was just 1.53% in 2009 and 4.64% in 2014, but it surged to 42.70% in 2019. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP gained a lead of 9,948 votes over TMC, indicating the party’s growing strength in the area.
In 2024, Moyna had a total of 268,091 voters, a significant increase from 196,999 in 2011. The voting percentage for the assembly seat has consistently remained high, recording 90.67% in 2011, 87.40% in 2016, and 88.09% in 2021. The Lok Sabha elections saw slightly lower turnout, with 85.16% in 2019 and 84.04% in 2024.
Demographically, Scheduled Castes constitute the largest group at 22.15%, followed by Muslims at 11.10%. The constituency is predominantly rural, with about 95% of voters residing in villages and only around 5% in urban areas.
Moyna’s history is linked to the Moynagarh Fort, located near the ancient Tamralipta port. The fort, surrounded by a circular moat, mounds, and dense forests, made it difficult for enemies to attack. Local traditions associate it with King Lousen of Dharmamangala and the 16th-century Bahubali royal family, who established their capital here and defended against attacks from Bengal sultans. Remnants of the fort, temples, shrines, and moats still remind us of Moyna’s glorious past.
Geographically, Moyna is situated in the upper Ganges-Yamuna plains and the eastern coastal delta, where rivers like Haldi, Rupnarayan, Rasulpur, Bagui, and Keleghai flow. The fertile land primarily supports rice cultivation, along with pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables. Tidal floods and cyclones are common, but embankments and canals provide assistance. Fisheries play a crucial role in the local economy, providing employment to thousands.
Moyna is well-connected by road and rail, linking it to Tamluk (17 km east) and Kolaghat (19 km north). Kolkata is approximately 90-96 km away, while Panskura is 13 km, Haldia is 46 km, and Kharagpur is 51 km distant.
Currently, the contest appears to be a direct battle between the BJP, which has strengthened its position in the 2021 assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and the TMC, which aims to reclaim the seat while the BJP seeks to maintain its lead.
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S.C.H./D.S.C.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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