The Congress has released its list of candidates for the West Bengal Assembly Election, announcing nominees for 284 out of the 294 constituencies in the state. Significantly, the party has opted to go solo this time, breaking from its earlier alliance with the Left Front.
Former MP and state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has been fielded from Baharampur in Murshidabad district, marking his return to Assembly politics after nearly three decades. Chowdhury had earlier announced his candidature on March 19.
Another key name on the list is Mausam Noor, who recently rejoined the Congress after a stint with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). She has been nominated from Malatipur, a constituency linked to her family’s political legacy. Her cousin, Isha Khan Chowdhury, has also backed her return to the party fold.
The Congress faces a steep challenge in the state. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the party failed to win a single seat. Although it briefly secured representation through a bypoll win in Sagardighi — where Byron Biswas emerged victorious — the gain proved short-lived after Biswas defected to the TMC, leaving the party without representation once again.
This election is being viewed as a crucial test for Chowdhury, particularly in Murshidabad district, where the Congress is seeking to regain lost ground. Reports suggest that Manoj Chakraborty, a three-time MLA from Baharampur, will contest from Sagardighi, where he is likely to face Byron Biswas, now representing the TMC.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP won the Baharampur seat, with candidate Subrata Maitra securing over 45 per cent of the vote. The TMC’s Narugopal Mukherjee finished second, while the Congress placed third.
However, political dynamics shifted during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when TMC candidate Yusuf Pathan defeated Chowdhury in the Baharampur parliamentary seat. Despite the overall loss, the Congress performed strongly within the Baharampur Assembly segment, leading in vote share—an indicator that has renewed optimism within the party ranks.
Observers note that while the Lok Sabha result dealt a setback to Chowdhury, the Assembly segment trends suggest a potentially close contest if he contests the seat. With shifting vote shares and changing political equations, Baharampur is expected to witness a high-stakes battle in the upcoming polls.
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