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While the BJP never reveals a “CM face” before an election, its first candidate list has set the stage for a high-stakes poll contest in West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s home turf
In the 2021 assembly polls, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (R) chose to contest from Nandigram against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari (L) and lost. (Image: PTI/File)
It looks like Suvendu Adhikari will be up against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again, but this time in South Kolkata’s affluent Bhabanipur assembly constituency.
This high-stakes electoral battle is not yet confirmed as the Trinamool Congress has not released its candidate list for the upcoming assembly elections. But, the BJP has sounded its poll bugle by declaring its first list that features Suvendu Adhikari from Bhabanipur.
And, who is the sitting MLA from this assembly seat? None other than Mamata Banerjee, who remains the central figure in the TMC.
With its first list, the BJP has made it clear that it will directly challenge the TMC in Bhabanipur. Hence, its decision to field Adhikari from the constituency.
According to sources, the BJP’s strategy is to keep Banerjee politically engaged in Bhabanipur, which is a cosmopolitan constituency and, in several wards, the saffron party has a strong presence having secured leads in past elections.
But, can this also mean that Adhikari is the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in West Bengal? While the party always keeps the “CM face” card close to its chest until the very end, in a state as politically vital, its first candidate list has set the stage for a high-voltage contest in Banerjee’s stronghold.
In a striking decision, however, the BJP has also nominated Adhikari from another important assembly seat – Nandigram, which is the bedrock of the TMC’s emergence in Bengal. Now, if Banerjee contests the election from Bhabanipur, this will set up a direct contest between the two leaders – a possibility already being widely discussed in political circles.
In the 2021 assembly polls, Banerjee chose to contest from Nandigram against Adhikari and lost. This time, the BJP has fielded him in her traditional stronghold, potentially shifting the political battleground to her home turf.
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WHY DID THE BJP CHOOSE SUVENDU ADHIKARI FOR BHABANIPUR?
Adhikari is one of the BJP’s most prominent leaders in Bengal and frequently highlights his 2021 victory over Banerjee in Nandigram.
According to party sources, by fielding him in Bhabanipur, the BJP intends to send a clear political message that it is prepared for a direct contest with the chief minister. The move signals that it wants to challenge her in a constituency closely associated with her political career.
WHAT IS BHABANIPUR’S STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE?
Bhabanipur is considered a cosmopolitan constituency in Kolkata. In several wards, the BJP has previously secured leads in certain parliamentary segments.
Party strategists believe those pockets could provide a base to build on in the assembly election.
Banerjee is the TMC’s foremost campaigner and BJP leaders believe that if she is required to spend significant time defending Bhabanipur, it could limit her ability to extensively campaign across the state.
WHY DID BJP RELEASE ITS FIRST LIST SO EARLY?
The BJP decided to release its first list, only a day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the two-phase polling schedule in Bengal on April 23 and 29.
Its decision to release a candidate list before the TMC is also being viewed as an attempt to project preparedness.
Along with Bhabanipur, Adhikari will again contest the election from Nandigram, which gave him his 2021 victory over Banerjee.
If Banerjee eventually contests from Bhabanipur, the potential faceoff could become one of the most closely watched in the state.
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WHO ARE THE OTHER KEY CANDIDATES IN THE FIRST LIST?
The BJP has nominated Soumitra Chattopadhyay from Naihati. He belongs to the family of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who wrote the national song Vande Mataram.
Among the candidates announced so far:
- 41 are sitting MLAs
- Three are former MLAs – Samarendra Nath Ghosh (Karimpur), Saikat Panja (Monteswar), and Jitendra Tiwari (Pandabeswar)
- The list also includes two former MPs: Swapan Dasgupta from Rashbehari and Dilip Ghosh from Kharagpur Sadar
March 16, 2026, 18:56 IST
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