High-stakes showdowns await penultimate poll phase in Bengal

Kolkata: The penultimate round of voting in Bengal, set to unfold on May 25, holds immense significance as it embraces an array of pivotal constituencies within the Jangalmahal region, each characterised by its own distinctive socio-political tapestry.

Buoyed by the extensive development projects undertaken in the region, the ruling dispensation in Bengal, the TMC, harbours high hopes of outperforming its 2019 results in all the Jangalmahal seats.

The ground-breaking and visionary ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme, unveiled by the Mamata Banerjee government, has bestowed remarkable socio-economic upliftment upon the women of families in the Jangalmahal region—a region that languished in the shadows of development for decades under the erstwhile Left Front government.

The high-octave battle for Delhi includes constituencies like Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur which go to polls during the sixth phase.

In Tamluk, the contest is between Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) Debanhshu Bhattacharyya who is pitted against retired Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay who has become the BJP’s candidate. Sayan Banerjee of the CPI(M) is also in the fray.

Cine star Deepak Adhikari (Dev) is recontesting from Ghatal Lok Sabha seat for the TMC. In 2019, Dev defeated former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who contested on a BJP ticket, by more than one lakh votes. The actor, who helped people in distress during the Covid pandemic in every way possible is pitted against another actor Hiran Chatterjee of BJP. Tapan Ganguly of the CPI, who is supported by the Congress contesting from the same seat. Bishnupur is going to see a unique electoral battle in which Sujata Khan of Trinamool Congress is contesting with BJP’s Soumitra Khan. Shital Kaibartya from the CPI(M) is also in the fray. In 2024, the BJP has reposed its faith in Khan again.

Midnapore Lok Sabha seat is going to witness an interesting electoral battle as Trinamool Congress candidate and cine actor June Malia will take on BJP’s Agnimitra Pal.

Malia is currently an MLA belonging to TMC while Pal is also an MLA from the saffron camp. BJP’s Dilip Ghosh was the sitting MP from the seat. Biplab Bhatta of the CPI is also in the fray.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, out of the 8 Lok Sabha constituencies going to polls in Phase 6 this year, five went in favour of the BJP and three to the TMC.