In the sphere of electoral dynamics, Bengal perennially unfurls surprises, and the epoch of circa 2024 maintains this tradition. The inaugural phase of elections, embracing 102 constituencies from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, allocated merely three seats for electoral scrutiny in West Bengal. Remarkably, the state outshone others nationwide in terms of maximum polling percentage. However, an unprecedented occurrence unfolded concurrently.
In an unprecedented twist, the Trinamool Congress, reigning over the state, orchestrated ‘triumph’ processions alongside respective candidates in the three North Bengal constituencies subject to polling in the primary phase!
Speculations abound regarding this maneuver; some deem it a meticulously crafted strategy to uplift the spirits of party affiliates and adherents amidst the protracted polling marathon. Conversely, dissenting voices paint it as a façade of audacity, contending that such demonstrations by the Trinamool only embolden their adversaries, particularly the BJP, within a domain widely perceived as a bastion of saffron in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee fervently endeavors to surmount this barrier this time around.
Amidst this fervent atmosphere, the subsequent trio of North Bengal seats is slated for polling on April 26.
The constituencies of Darjeeling, Raiganj, and Balurghat, each possess distinctive identities, yet converge on two common fronts. All three were clinched by the BJP in the 2019 elections, and the Trinamool Congress has historically remained unsuccessful in Darjeeling and Raiganj.
Darjeeling
Dubbed the ‘Queen of Hills,’ Darjeeling stands as a bastion coveted by the BJP, having secured victory in this seat since 2009. From Jaswant Singh in 2009 to SS Ahluwalia in 2014 to Raju Bista in 2019, the BJP has rotated its candidates atop this hill constituency of Bengal, encompassing portions of the Terrai foothills. Notwithstanding the varied candidate profiles, Darjeeling has consistently favored saffron nominees.
Departing from precedent, the BJP has endorsed Raju Bista for re-election this term. While neither Singh, Ahluwalia, nor Bista hailed from the Hills, for Darjeeling, the candidate has never been the sole determinant. Identity politics, underscored by the protracted Gorkhaland imbroglio, alongside the inclusion of 11 Gorkha sub-tribes in the ST list, perennially occupies center stage.
The BJP is acutely aware of this dynamic and, in its bid to secure the Nepali-speaking Gorkha electorate of the Hills, has perennially aligned with regional hill factions. Presently, it has forged alliances with Subhas Ghising’s Gorkha National Liberation Front and garnered support from another Hill stalwart, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung. Former Gurung confidant Binay Tamang has also pledged support to Bista, albeit at a cost – he faces a six-year suspension from his party, the Congress.
Bista contends against Trinamool’s Gopal Lama and Congress’ Munish Tamang. Lama basks in the support of Bimal Gurung’s erstwhile deputy and current Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) chairman, Anit Thapa. Anit’s BGPM emerged victorious in the June 2022 Gorkhaland Territorial Administration elections and clinched the Kalimpong Assembly seat in the 2021 state polls.
The political terrain of Darjeeling brims with intrigue at every turn along its winding hill paths. Ajay Edwards and his Hamro Party, triumphant in the 2022 Darjeeling civic polls, throw their weight behind Congress candidate Munish Tamang. And amidst the apparent Darjeeling bouquet, BJP MLA from Kurseong, Bishnu Prasad Sharma, contests independently, decrying the nomination of an outsider to the seat by the BJP.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP amassed 59.69% of the votes, though this figure dwindled to 43.68% in the aftermath of the 2021 Assembly elections. Should the BJP clinch Darjeeling this time, it would mark a historic fourth consecutive victory for the party in the seat.
Balurghat
Balurghat emerges as a battleground of prestige for the BJP in the ‘Red land.’
From 1977 to 2009, the Balurghat seat remained steadfastly loyal to the Left Front constituent, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP). However, the advent of 2011 ushered in the Trinamool Congress, disrupting the Left’s hegemony. Not only did the electoral landscape undergo transformation, but the 2014 general elections also witnessed Trinamool making inroads into a Left-dominated stronghold like Balurghat. Nonetheless, the Modi-wave of 2019 catapulted Sukanta Majumdar to victory.
Within two years, Sukanta ascended to the role of BJP’s state president in September 2021, supplanting Dilip Ghosh. Ensuring Sukanta Majumdar’s re-election from Balurghat constitutes a paramount objective for the BJP.
Yet, Sukanta is cognizant of his narrow victory margin of approximately 33,000 votes, constituting 45.02% of the mandate, with Arpita Ghosh of Trinamool Congress trailing closely with 42.24% votes. The pendulum of public opinion could swing either way this time, particularly with Sukanta facing state minister Biplab Mitra as the Trinamool candidate. Biplab’s political trajectory is marked by a series of defections, initially departing from Trinamool Congress in 2019 to join BJP, only to return to TMC a year later. His triumph in the 2021 Assembly election from Harirampur culminated in his induction into Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet.
Sukanta Majumdar’s contenders in the triangular contest of Balurghat include Joydeb Siddhanta of the RSP.
For Biplab, Trinamool Congress’ flagship schemes such as Laxmir Bhandar, offering a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 for general category women and Rs 1,200 for SC/ST, hold significant promise. Additionally, the party’s allegations of the Centre withholding PM Awas and Rural Employment Guarantee funds could resonate with the electorate.
However, will these initiatives suffice to counter the BJP’s accusations of corruption in the TMC-led administration or the strides made by the Railways towards enhancing connectivity from Balurghat to Kolkata and Siliguri, for which Sukanta claims credit? For Biplab Mitra and Trinamool Congress, Balurghat promises a closely contested battle against the BJP.
Raiganj
Nestled between the Seemanchal region of Bihar and the Bangladesh border, the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat epitomizes political prominence, boasting luminaries such as former union minister and Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, CPI’s Subrata Mukherjee, or Congress’ Golam Yazdani.