Bhabanipur

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday filed her nomination from the Bhabanipur assembly constituency for the 2026 state elections, setting the stage for a high-profile electoral battle.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo will face Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a rematch of their earlier political contest.

Adhikari had defeated Banerjee in the closely fought Nandigram seat during the 2021 Assembly elections by a margin of 1,956 votes. Following that loss, Banerjee entered the Assembly through a bypoll from Bhabanipur after Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the seat.

Adhikari, who filed his nomination earlier this month, is contesting from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram. He was accompanied during his nomination by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya.

The campaign has intensified with both leaders holding rallies and sharpening their political messaging. Banerjee has positioned the BJP as an “outsider” to Bengali culture, while highlighting welfare initiatives such as the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and her party’s “10 pledges” manifesto.

Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to women and unemployed youth, forming a key pillar of the TMC’s outreach.

On the other hand, Adhikari and the BJP are focusing on issues such as illegal immigration and governance, aiming to replicate their Nandigram success in Bhabanipur.

Addressing a gathering during Adhikari’s nomination, Amit Shah urged voters to cast their ballots without fear, launching a sharp attack on the ruling TMC.

Bhabanipur is now poised to witness one of the most closely watched contests in the upcoming elections.

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Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.