2026 Bengal Battle: Mamata Banerjee to Contest from Two Seats ?
Poonam Sharma
As West Bengal inches closer to the 2026 Assembly elections, the political corridors of Kolkata are buzzing with a singular, high-stakes question: Will Mamata Banerjee contest from two seats this time? While the Chief Minister remains the undisputed face of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the changing political landscape of Bengal suggests that the “Didi” of Bengal may need a safety net to ensure her path to the Nabanna (the state secretariat) remains unobstructed.
The Ghost of Nandigram
To understand the 2026 strategy, one must look back at 2021. The decision to leave her traditional stronghold of Bhowanipore to challenge Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram was a move of immense political bravado. It was a “do or die” gamble intended to crush the defector’s influence. However, the result was a bittersweet victory for the TMC. While the party swept the state, Mamata Banerjee herself lost the Nandigram seat by a razor-thin margin.
Although she later won a by-election from Bhowanipore to retain her Chief Ministership, the Nandigram defeat remains a thorn in the TMC’s side. The BJP has since used that loss to challenge her personal popularity. In 2026, the TMC cannot afford the optics of their supreme leader being “cornered” or “defeated” in a single-seat battle.
The BJP’s Rising Aggression in Strongholds
The primary reason behind the dual-seat speculation is the BJP’s targeted approach. Over the last few years, the saffron party has focused its resources on high-profile constituencies. By pinning Mamata Banerjee down in one seat through intense campaigning and legal scrutiny, the opposition aims to restrict her movement across the state.
If Mamata contests from two seats—one a “safe” seat like Bhowanipore and another a “prestige” seat in North Bengal or a sensitive zone in South Bengal—she achieves two things. First, she ensures her entry into the Assembly regardless of local anti-incumbency. Second, she can use her candidacy in a challenging region to galvanize party workers who might feel demoralized by the BJP’s surge.
Countering the Anti-Incumbency Factor
After three consecutive terms, any government faces a degree of “fatigue” among the electorate. Issues ranging from local-level corruption allegations to the complexities of various state schemes have given the opposition fodder. By contesting from two seats, Mamata Banerjee can project a message of being “everywhere.”
It’s a psychological game. In Bengal, the TMC is Mamata, and Mamata is the TMC. If she chooses a seat in a district where the party is struggling—perhaps in the Matua belt or the tea gardens of the North—it sends a signal that the leader herself is on the frontlines. It shifts the narrative from “defending the government” to “leading a crusade.”
The North-South Divide
West Bengal’s political geography is sharply divided. South Bengal remains a TMC fortress, while North Bengal has leaned heavily toward the BJP in recent Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. There is a growing school of thought within the TMC’s strategic cell (reportedly influenced by professional political consultants) that Mamata should contest one seat in North Bengal.
Doing so would be a direct challenge to the BJP’s dominance in the region. It would force the BJP to divert its pan-state resources to defend a single district, thereby giving the TMC an advantage in the rest of Bengal.
The Risk of the “Nervousness” Narrative
However, the strategy is not without risks. The opposition is already prepared with a counter-narrative: “Didi is scared.” If she announces two seats, the BJP will undoubtedly claim that the Chief Minister no longer trusts her home turf or the people of any single constituency.
For Mamata, the challenge will be to frame this not as a “backup plan,” but as an “expansion plan.” She would need to convince the voters that she is contesting from two places to represent the diverse voices of Bengal—from the hills to the sea.
Conclusion: A Masterstroke or a Necessity?
The 2026 election will not just be about who forms the government; it will be a referendum on Mamata Banerjee’s legacy. In a state where emotions run as high as political stakes, the decision to contest two seats will be a calculated move.
Is it a sign of vulnerability? Perhaps. But in politics, vulnerability acknowledged is often a strategy refined. By securing her own position, Mamata Banerjee ensures she can spend all her energy on the larger battle: keeping the “Bengal Fortress” from falling. For the TMC, 2026 isn’t just an election; it’s a fight for survival, and their general is making sure she has every possible move on the chessboard covered.
