Mamata Banerjee Loses Bhabanipur Seat to Suvendu Adhikari as BJP Surges in West Bengal, Leadership Race Intensifies

In a dramatic political turn in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has lost the Bhabanipur Assembly seat—long considered her political stronghold—to senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

The outcome marks a significant shift in the state’s political landscape, given that Banerjee had represented Bhabanipur since 2011, when her party first came to power by defeating the Left Front. She retained the seat in 2016 and reclaimed it through a by-election in 2021.

( Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP defeated the WB CM

                                 Mamta  Bannerjee)                                        

The counting process itself was not without controversy. Earlier in the day, Banerjee alleged irregularities at the counting centre set up at Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls’ High School in Kolkata.

She claimed that she had been attacked and that CCTV cameras at the venue were switched off during crucial moments.

Raising further concerns, she said that her party’s counting agents were not allowed inside, undermining transparency.

These allegations followed complaints by Trinamool Congress leaders that one of their counting representatives had been forcibly removed from the premises.

As results continued to pour in, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appeared to be gaining significant ground across the state.

According to available figures, the BJP had secured 107 seats, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) trailed with 44—indicating a clear momentum shift.

Party insiders attribute the BJP’s strong performance to a combination of strategic and socio-political factors.

One key element was a noticeable swing in women voters—estimated at around five per cent—towards the BJP, influenced by issues such as women’s representation and high-profile cases like the RG Kar incident.

Additionally, a large segment of government employees, reportedly numbering up to 50 lakh voters, responded positively to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance of implementing the Seventh Pay Commission within 45 days.

The BJP also appears to have successfully framed the election as a contest between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee, a narrative that resonated with urban middle-class voters and first-time electors. The party’s aggressive digital outreach further amplified this message.

Another factor cited by BJP leaders is the unprecedented deployment of central security forces, which they claim helped create an environment where voters felt secure enough to cast their ballots without fear or coercion. Additionally, the Special Intensive

Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was presented by the party as a measure to ensure that only legitimate voters participated in the election.

With the BJP now heading towards what could be a historic majority, attention is rapidly shifting to the question of leadership.

Suvendu Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee before defecting to the BJP in December 2020, is widely seen as the frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post.

His political trajectory—from defeating Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 to serving as a vocal Leader of the Opposition—has made him one of the party’s most prominent faces in the state.

However, he is not the only contender. Senior leader Samik Bhattacharya, known for his long association with the RSS, is also in the reckoning.

Former journalist and intellectual Swapan Dasgupta brings a different appeal, particularly among the urban elite.

Meanwhile, Dilip Ghosh—credited with expanding the BJP’s footprint in Bengal from just three MLAs in 2016 to 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019—remains a strong contender as well.

As the dust settles on a fiercely contested election, West Bengal appears poised at the cusp of a major political transition—one that could redefine its governance and electoral dynamics in the years to come.