BALURGHAT: After the high-profile Balurghat Constituency, all eyes in South Dinajpur are now on the Harirampur Assembly seat as the 2026 West Bengal elections approach. The Constituency, represented by veteran Trinamool Congress leader and outgoing Consumer Affairs Minister Biplab Mitra, has emerged as a crucial battleground despite being perceived as one of the ruling party’s safest seats in the district.
Over the past five years, Harirampur has witnessed significant development under Mitra’s leadership. Key infrastructure projects include a market complex, an auditorium, a bridge at Hatnadangi and the foundation stone for a new hospital at Daulatpur.
Among the district’s six Assembly segments, Harirampur reportedly received the highest allocation of government funds, making it difficult even for opposition parties to outright deny developmental progress.
Yet, beneath this apparent advantage lies growing concern for the 74-year-old leader. A major issue troubling the Trinamool Congress camp is the status of 31,801 voters currently placed in the “adjudication” list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). With a total electorate of 2,23,718, Harirampur has the highest number of such voters among the district’s constituencies. Speaking during his campaign, Mitra said: “Most of the 31,000 voters in the adjudication list are our supporters. If their names do not appear in the supplementary voter list, it will be a serious concern.”
Given that minority voters form the backbone of the ruling party’s vote bank here—and a large section of them fall within the adjudication category—the uncertainty has added a layer of unpredictability to the contest. The opposition has seized the moment to intensify its attacks. BJP candidate Debabrata Majumdar alleged widespread corruption, claiming: “It is widely heard that Trinamool leaders close to Mitra collect money even from local dispute settlements. People have to travel to Gangarampur for MLA-related work, as the minister does not reside in Harirampur.”
Local Congress leader Sona Pal also raised concerns over financial irregularities, alleging misuse of revenue from around 100 government ponds across panchayats without proper tendering. Refuting all allegations, Mitra countered: “These accusations are baseless and politically motivated. The opposition is trying to malign me as they cannot defeat me electorally. People here know the truth.”
The Left Front, once dominant in Harirampur, has fielded CITU leader Gautam Goswami. While not overtly confident, he noted increasing turnout at Left rallies and said: “Those who shifted to BJP to oppose Trinamool are now reconsidering. However, the fate of adjudication voters remains unclear.”
Electoral data still favours the Trinamool Congress. In 2021, Mitra defeated BJP’s Nilanjan Roy by 22,672 votes. The party also led by 10,254 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha segment and dominated recent panchayat polls, winning all four Zilla Parishad seats and 28 out of 30 Panchayat Samiti seats. However, uncertainty over ‘adjudication voters’ participation could prove a decisive factor, potentially tightening the contest if they are excluded.