Kolkata: As political mercury shoots up in the poll-bound Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has intensified its electoral strategies in 49 Assembly segments where it had a marginal lead of less than 10,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha and also in 21 seats where the winning margin for the party was between 10,000 and 15,000 votes.
The principal Opposition BJP, however, is closely monitoring the Assembly-wise deletion of voters’ names in the final list, viewing it as a high-stakes exercise as the party eyes a 148-seat majority to form the government.
Political analysts believe these seats could be crucial in the election. The ruling party has intensified grassroots mobilisation in Assembly segments where its 2024 Lok Sabha margins were slim, prioritising efforts to resolve local-level differences. The Trinamool Congress IT cell has also conducted surveys in segments where the BJP lost by narrow margins in recent polls.
The BJP has also begun groundwork in these Assembly segments across various Lok Sabha constituencies, recognising that it must secure the maximum number of seats if it hopes to unseat the Mamata Banerjee government. The 49 Assembly segments where BJP trailed by less than 10,000 votes in 2024 Lok Sabha polls include Rashbehari, Bhawanipore, Kashipur-Belgachia, Maniktala, Dum Dum North, Rajarhat-Gopalpur, Barasat, Barrackpore, Jagatdal, Asansol North, Sonarpur South, Nabadwip, Nakashipara.
According to data, in Bhawanipore — Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Constituency — the TMC had a narrow lead of 8,297 votes. In Rashbehari, the party’s margin shrank to 1,691 votes. In the Rajarhat-Gopalpur Assembly segment under the Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency, the Trinamool’s lead was a mere 74 votes in 2024.
The 21 Assembly seats where the BJP had trailed by 10,000-15,000 votes during 2024 Lok Sabha includes constituencies like Chowringhee, Howrah North, Shibpur, Hingalganj, Basirhat South, Kalna, Katwa and Suri. A senior BJP leader claimed that they were ahead of TMC in 92 Assembly segments in 2024 polls and their primary goal would be winning those seats where they trailed marginally.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 12 out of the 42 Parliamentary seats. The saffron party had managed to secure 18 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha. TMC won 29 Lok Sabha seats in 2024. Trinamool secured a landslide majority with 213 seats in 2021 Assembly polls, while BJP won 77. The number of BJP MLAs has now gone to around 65.