Kolkata: In a major boost for the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), the early trends show that the party’s candidates in all six aeembly seats were leading as voting was underway for bypolls held on November 20.
The constituencies that went to the polls are Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai (SC), and Madarihat (ST). Five of these seats are in the TMC’s stronghold in south Bengal, while Madarihat, was won by the BJP in 2021.
The by-elections were necessitated following the resignation of MLAs who had won seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leaving their assembly constituencies vacant.
At the end of the Round 8, Trinamool Congress candidate Sangeeta Rai in Sitai was leading by over 90,000 votes.
List of leading/winners in six assembly seats in West Bengal
| Assembly Seat | Winner/Leading | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Madarihat | Jayprakash Tippo | TMC |
| Sitai | Sangita Roy | TMC |
| Taldangra | Falguni Singhababu | TMC |
| Naihati | Sanat Dey | TMC |
| Haroa | SK Rabiul Islam | TMC |
| Medinipur | Sujay Hazra | TMC |
In Sitai, a Scheduled Caste (SC) constituency, TMC’s Sangita Roy is leading by 73,452 votes, a margin of 60,493 votes over her nearest rival, Dipak Kumar Ray of the BJP, who has so far secured 12,959 votes.
In Madarihat, a Scheduled Tribe (ST) seat, TMC’s Jayprakash Toppo is leading by 39,353 votes, ahead of BJP’s Rahul Lohar, who has received 21,375 votes. The seat was won by the BJP in the 2021 assembly polls.
In Naihati, TMC’s Sanat Dey has secured a substantial lead, having received 40,663 votes against BJP’s Rupak Mitra’s 15,461.
Of the six constituencies, five are located in South Bengal, a stronghold of the TMC, while Madarihat, in the northern part of the state, had been won by the BJP in the 2021 assembly elections, making it a key battleground in the region.
These early results reflect TMC’s stronghold in the state, particularly in South Bengal, where the party has maintained its dominance.
Despite the BJP’s hopes of retaining its northern seat in Madarihat, the party is currently trailing behind TMC in all constituencies.
The by-polls come at a time when the state’s political landscape is charged with protest movements, especially surrounding the RG Kar incident, which has added a layer of intensity to the electoral battle.
