Bengal Assembly polls: Panihati no longer one-sided, set for triangular contest?

Kolkata: A calm suburb on the banks of the Ganges, Panihati has often contributed to the chapters of history. However, the political attention towards this Constituency is something to be closely observed this time. Long considered an easy-win seat for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the candidates nominated by the three principal parties have now brought it under fresh scrutiny.

In 2026, the ruling party nominated Tirthankar Ghosh, son of the outgoing MLA of that seat, as its candidate. Interestingly, the BJP has fielded the RG Kar victim’s mother, Ratna Debnath, from this seat. Notably, the victim, known as ‘Abhaya’, was a voter in this Constituency. The Left has fielded Kalatan Dasgupta, a young candidate and a known face in the RG Kar movement.

What was earlier assumed to be a straightforward contest is now witnessing the possibility of a triangular fight. Tirthankar, a new face in Assembly politics, is banking on the welfare schemes and developmental work of the ruling party and remains confident of winning, being a familiar face in the area- raising the question of whether residents will repose the same trust. Ratna Debnath, on the other hand, has entered politics abruptly, banking on the sentiment of securing justice for her daughter.

Meanwhile, Kalatan, with a strong social media presence and consistent campaigning, has been fielded from a seat where the Left has largely remained in the third position in recent elections. The TMC stronghold—evident from its winning margin of 25,177 votes and 49.61 per cent vote share in the last election—will not be easy to breach, with BJP having secured 35.17 per cent votes.

This time, trends indicate a steady support base among women voters for Debnath, though whether this emotional appeal alone will translate into a significant electoral outcome remains to be seen.

Kalatan’s acceptability among the electorate has reasoned quite apparently owing to the bonhomie which he has been able to establish, the seat is witnessing long rallies of red flags.

Panihati lies east of the Hooghly River and is home to famous industries like Sulekha and Bengal Chemical. With much of the industrial land now lying deserted, residents cite waterlogging as another major issue. The State General Hospital is yet to receive updated amenities- another key promise of the ruling party candidate, along with two pumping stations to address waterlogging.