Hooghly, 20 March (H.S.): The Serampore Assembly constituency in West Bengal is set for a keen triangular contest in the 2026 elections, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CPI(M) in the fray.

According to political observers, the seat has drawn attention not only for the three-cornered fight but also for the mix of young and experienced candidates with strong educational backgrounds.

The TMC has fielded Tanmay Ghosh, a chemical engineer by profession and a relatively young face, who is focusing his campaign on development and the state government’s welfare initiatives.

The CPI(M) has nominated Navnita Chakraborty, a postgraduate and a full-time party worker, who is seeking to consolidate support among young voters and revive the Left’s traditional base.

On the other hand, the BJP has reposed faith in experienced leader Bhaskar Bhattacharya, a lawyer at the Calcutta High Court, who has been active in politics for a long time and is seen as a seasoned organisational hand.

Interestingly, all three candidates are well-educated and have considerable political experience, making the contest more balanced and competitive.

Past election data indicate a strong position for the TMC in the constituency. In the 2021 Assembly polls, TMC candidate Sudipto Roy secured 93,021 votes (around 49.4 per cent), while the BJP polled 69,588 votes (37 per cent) and the Congress got 19,401 votes (10.3 per cent). The TMC won the seat by a margin of 23,433 votes.

In 2016, the TMC had won with around 43.7 per cent vote share, followed by the Congress with 38 per cent and the BJP with 14 per cent.

The data show that the TMC consolidated its position between 2016 and 2021, while the BJP significantly increased its vote share to emerge as the principal challenger. The Left, however, saw a decline in its base and is now attempting a revival.

Analysts believe that the combination of youth, professional credentials and political experience among the candidates could play a crucial role in shaping the outcome.

While the TMC is banking on its organisational strength and previous margin of victory, the BJP is relying on its steady vote base and experienced candidate. The CPI(M), meanwhile, is looking to regain lost ground with a new and educated face.

Overall, the Serampore seat is expected to witness a close contest, with the outcome likely to be decided by a narrow margin.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey