The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections resulted in a major political shift in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party secured a majority in the 293-member Assembly, ending 15 years of rule by Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress.
One of the most closely watched contests was in Bhabanipur, where BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee by more than 15,000 votes, according to election results.
The Bhabanipur Contest
Bhabanipur has remained politically significant for Mamata Banerjee for several years. After losing the Nandigram seat in the 2021 Assembly elections, Banerjee contested and won from Bhabanipur to continue as Chief Minister.
In 2026, Suvendu Adhikari contested against Banerjee in the constituency. The final results showed Adhikari winning the seat by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
The SIR Revision
Ahead of the elections, the Election Commission carried out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
According to the Election Commission, the revision process removed duplicate, deceased, and ineligible entries from voter lists across the state. The exercise was discussed extensively during the election campaign, with opposition parties alleging irregularities in earlier voter lists, while the Trinamool Congress raised concerns about aspects of the revision process.
RG Kar Case and Women’s Safety
The rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College became a major campaign issue during the elections.
Political parties, including the BJP, repeatedly referred to the case in campaign speeches and public rallies while raising concerns around women’s safety and law and order in the state.
Welfare Schemes and Employment Concerns
The Trinamool Congress continued to campaign on welfare programmes such as Lakshmir Bhandar and Kanyashree, which provide financial assistance to beneficiaries across West Bengal.
At the same time, opposition parties focused their campaigns on issues including unemployment, recruitment scams, industrial growth, and infrastructure.
Opposition parties repeatedly raised these issues during the election campaign across several constituencies.
A Shift in Power
The 2026 Assembly election marked the first change in government in West Bengal since 2011.
With more than 200 seats in the Assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in the state. The result also marked Mamata Banerjee’s defeat in Bhabanipur, a constituency from which she had previously contested and won elections.
