Alipurduar: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) camp appears increasingly confident in the Kalchini Assembly Constituency following a major roadshow by the party’s national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee and the return of former MLA Wilson Champramari to the party after leaving the BJP. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains firm in its claim that it will retain the seat in the upcoming Assembly election.
Kalchini, one of the most remote constituencies in West Bengal, has an electorate of 232,995 voters from diverse communities. The Constituency comprises 252 polling booths, including 22 located in areas without mobile network connectivity.
The TMC has fielded Birendra Bara Oraon, a prominent tea garden leader and state president of the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union. The BJP has renominated its sitting MLA Bisal Lama. With polls approaching, campaigning has intensified across the Constituency.
TMC leaders believe the party is poised for a comeback. On Thursday, Abhishek Banerjee led a roadshow in Jaigaon in support of Oraon, drawing a large crowd and boosting party morale.
The return of Wilson Champramari has further strengthened the TMC’s organisational base.
“We have witnessed strong public support. The return of Wilson Champramari is like the icing on the cake for our victory,” said Oraon, attributing voter sentiment to the state government’s development initiatives and alleged deprivation by the BJP-led central government.
Explaining his return, Champramari said he rejoined the TMC to work for the people, adding that development under Mamata Banerjee has given the party an advantage.
Electoral data suggests a shifting trend. In the 2021 Assembly polls, Bisal Lama won by 28,576 votes, defeating TMC’s Passang Lama.
However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, although the BJP retained the Alipurduar Constituency, its lead in the Kalchini segment narrowed to 14,865 votes. TMC leaders see this as a sign of changing voter preference.
Meanwhile, Bisal Lama dismissed the challenge, stating that the TMC lacks a strong base in Kalchini. “People here are aware and will continue to support the BJP,” he said.