Kolkata, 06 April (H.S.): The Chowrangee Assembly constituency, considered one of the most prestigious and high-profile urban seats in West Bengal, is witnessing an increasingly interesting electoral contest in the 2026 Assembly elections. Long regarded as a Trinamool Congress (TMC) stronghold, the constituency is now seeing a more competitive fight after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded Santosh Pathak, making the contest unusually close.

Political observers believe the election here is no longer just a party-versus-party battle but has evolved into a face-off between individual candidates, where personal credibility and grassroots connections could significantly influence the outcome.

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A constituency with a rich political history

Chowrangee, located in the commercial and cultural heart of Kolkata, has a long and significant political history. Established in 1957, the seat was initially dominated by the Congress before the TMC gradually consolidated its position. Since 2001, the TMC has consistently retained the seat, turning it into a perceived safe constituency for the party.

The sitting MLA, Nayana Bandyopadhyay, wife of senior TMC leader and Member of Parliament Sudip Bandyopadhyay, has maintained a strong electoral record. After winning the 2014 bypoll, she retained the seat in both 2016 and 2021. In the 2021 election, she defeated the BJP candidate by a margin of 45,344 votes, underlining her strong position in the constituency.

Her strengths are widely seen as the TMC’s strong organisational structure, support among minority voters, and an established local network.

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Santosh Pathak’s personal connect seen as BJP’s key strength

However, the contest does not appear as straightforward this time. With the nomination of Santosh Pathak, the BJP has injected new energy into the race. Pathak began his political career with the Congress and has remained active in the area for years, giving him a strong personal identity and social acceptance among sections of voters.

Political analysts point out that his biggest strengths are his personal image and grassroots connections. His influence among Hindi-speaking voters, traders, and sections of traditional Congress supporters could create a new electoral equation for the BJP in the constituency.

There is also speculation that if the traditional Congress and Left vote does not consolidate fully behind their own candidates and a portion shifts towards the BJP, the contest could become more challenging for the TMC.

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Minority voters likely to play a decisive role

The social composition of Chowrangee is also expected to play a crucial role. Minority voters constitute around 37 percent of the electorate and have traditionally supported the TMC. If this support remains intact, it could work in favour of Nayana Bandyopadhyay.

However, the BJP’s attempts to consolidate urban voters, the middle class, and sections of Bengali voters could alter the electoral arithmetic.

Recent electoral trends indicate that the BJP has gradually strengthened its presence in the area, particularly after 2019, emerging as the principal challenger. While the Congress vote share has shown some recovery after a period of decline, it is still not seen as decisive. In this context, the role of the Congress-Left alliance could prove important, as the direction of their votes may influence the final outcome.

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A closely watched urban contest

Chowrangee is a fully urban constituency where voter turnout is generally lower compared to rural areas, and organised voting patterns along with candidate acceptability often play a more decisive role. This is why, analysts say, candidate image may matter as much as party strength in this election.

Political observers believe that if Santosh Pathak succeeds in consolidating anti-TMC votes and converting his personal popularity into electoral gains, the BJP could pose a serious challenge. At the same time, the TMC is relying on its organisational strength and traditional vote base to retain the seat.

Overall, the Chowrangee contest is being viewed as a closely fought battle. While the TMC is aiming to protect its prestige and long hold over the constituency, the BJP is attempting to turn it into a symbolic urban victory in Kolkata’s political landscape. The key question now remains whether Santosh Pathak can breach the TMC’s stronghold or whether Nayana Bandyopadhyay will once again retain the seat.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh