The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of 144 candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Legislative Assembly election 2026, setting the stage for an intense political battle in the state.
The biggest announcement in the list is the candidature of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who will contest from Bhabanipur against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Adhikari will also contest from Nandigram, the constituency where he defeated Mamata Banerjee in the previous assembly election.
The election is expected to witness a fierce contest between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee since 2011, and the BJP, which has been aggressively expanding its presence in the state.
Key BJP Candidates Announced
The first list released by the BJP includes several prominent leaders and new faces. Among the key candidates are:
- Agnimitra Paul from Asansol Dakshin
- Dilip Ghosh from Kharagpur Sadar
- Shankar Ghosh from Siliguri
- Swapan Dasgupta from Rashbehari
- Saikat Panja from Monteswar
- Dilip Kumar Ghosh from Bolpur
- Krishnendu Mukherjee from Asansol Uttar
- Ashok Dinda from Moyna
The announcement marks the BJP’s first major move ahead of the elections as it attempts to challenge the TMC’s stronghold in the state.
When Will West Bengal Vote?
According to the Election Commission schedule, polling in West Bengal will be held in two phases — April 23 and April 29 — while counting of votes will take place on May 4.
The state’s 294-seat assembly will vote across multiple districts in two phases. In the first phase, polling will take place in districts including Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Birbhum, East and West Midnapore, Jalpaiguri, Maldaha, Murshidabad, North and South Dinajpur, West Bardhaman, Darjeeling, Coochbehar, Alipurduar and Kalimpong.
In the second phase, voting will be conducted in districts such as East Bardhaman, Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata.
Key Battlefields in the Election
Several constituencies are expected to become major battlegrounds in the election, especially Bhabanipur where Suvendu Adhikari will challenge Mamata Banerjee, and Nandigram where Adhikari will again contest.
Other significant seats include Asansol Dakshin, Siliguri, Kharagpur Sadar, Rashbehari, Bolpur and Moyna, where prominent BJP leaders have been fielded.
Why is Bhabanipur such an important seat?
Bhabanipur in Kolkata is considered a high-profile constituency because it has been represented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP’s decision to field Suvendu Adhikari from this seat signals a direct political challenge to the TMC leadership.
How many seats are required to form the government in West Bengal?
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has 294 seats, and a party or alliance needs at least 148 seats to form the government in the state.
District-wise Polling Schedule
The first phase of voting on April 23 will cover 152 constituencies including areas in Cooch Behar, Birbhum, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Purva Medinipur, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura and West Burdwan.
The second phase on April 29 will cover 142 constituencies across Nadia, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly and East Burdwan.
With the BJP announcing its first set of candidates and the TMC preparing its campaign, the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched political battles in the country.
Chương trình ưu đãi dành cho người chơi mới tại NEw88 đang nhận được nhiều sự quan tâm. Khi tạo tài khoản thành công, bạn sẽ nhận ngay phần thưởng 58K để tham gia các trò chơi đặc sắc. Thủ tục đăng ký nhanh chóng, dễ dàng giúp tân thủ nhanh chóng hòa mình vào thế giới giải trí.
NEw88 thu hút người chơi mới với chương trình khuyến mãi cực kỳ hấp dẫn. Ngay sau khi hoàn tất đăng ký tài khoản, tân thủ sẽ được tặng ngay 58K để trải nghiệm các trò chơi giải trí trên nền tảng. Chỉ với vài thao tác đơn giản, bạn đã có thể bắt đầu hành trình khám phá và thử vận may của mình.
NEw88 mang đến trải nghiệm giải trí hấp dẫn cho người chơi mới với quà tặng 58K ngay khi đăng ký. Khoản thưởng này giúp bạn có thể thử nhiều trò chơi mà không cần nạp tiền ban đầu.
Nhờ ưu đãi dành cho tân thủ cùng nhiều trò chơi đa dạng, NEw88 là lựa chọn phù hợp cho những ai muốn trải nghiệm giải trí trực tuyến một cách dễ dàng và thú vị.