TMC Releases Bengal Poll List
Mamata vs Suvendu face-off in Bhabanipur as party fields candidates in 291 seats
- TMC to contest 291 of 294 seats; 3 left for BGPM alliance
- Mamata Banerjee to take on Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur
- Several new faces, key reshuffles in constituencies
- Bengal polls scheduled in two phases on April 23 and 29
GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 17th March: The All India Trinamool Congress on Tuesday released its candidate list for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, with party chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announcing that the party will contest 291 out of 294 seats.
The remaining three seats in the Darjeeling hills have been allotted to the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha led by Anit Thapa as part of an alliance arrangement.
In one of the most closely watched contests, Mamata Banerjee will take on BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency, setting the stage for a direct political showdown.
Among other key candidates, senior minister Shashi Panja has been fielded from Maniktala, while actor-turned-politician Soham Chakraborty will contest from Chandipur. Senior leader Jyotipriya Mallick has been nominated from Habra.
Veteran leader Madan Mitra has been renominated but shifted from Kamarhati to Baranagar. The party has also introduced new faces, including former journalist Devadeep Purohit from Khardah and Prabhat Banerjee from Uttarpara.
Former BJP leader Pavitra Kar has been fielded from Nandigram, another high-stakes constituency. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh will make his electoral debut from Beleghata.
In a notable decision, former cricketer and minister Manoj Tiwari has not been given a ticket this time.
The party has also fielded Minister Becharam Manna and his wife Karbi Manna, while Swapan Debnath will contest from Purbasthali South. Malay Ghatak has been nominated from Asansol North, with his brother Abhijit Ghatak contesting from Kulti.
In Kolkata, familiar faces have been retained, including Debasish Kumar from Rashbehari, Firhad Hakim from Kolkata Port, and Sujit Bose from Bidhannagar.
The party has also fielded Debangshu Bhattacharya from Chunchura, marking his electoral debut after playing an active role in previous campaigns.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
The candidate list reflects a mix of experienced leaders and fresh faces, as the TMC prepares for a high-voltage electoral battle in the state.
