The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, naming senior leader Suvendu Adhikari to contest from the Bhabanipur constituency against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The party released a list of 144 candidates on Monday, kicking off its election campaign in the state. The decision to field Adhikari from Bhabanipur is being seen as a direct challenge to Banerjee in a constituency that has long been closely associated with her.
Adhikari, who is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, had earlier defeated Banerjee in the 2021 Assembly election from Nandigram in a closely fought contest. The result had drawn nationwide attention at the time, even though Banerjee’s party, the All India Trinamool Congress, went on to win the election and return to power in the state.
After losing in Nandigram, Banerjee later entered the assembly by winning a by-election from Bhabanipur, which has since remained her political base.
By nominating Adhikari from Bhabanipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be aiming for a high-stakes electoral battle between two of the state’s most prominent leaders. Political observers say the move could turn the constituency into one of the most closely watched contests in the upcoming polls.
Adhikari is also expected to contest again from Nandigram, the seat where he secured his victory against Banerjee in 2021.
The BJP’s first list also features several well-known names from politics, sports and entertainment. Among them are former state BJP president Dilip Ghosh, actor Rudranil Ghosh and former India cricketer Ashok Dinda.
Party leaders say the candidate list reflects a mix of experienced politicians and new faces as the BJP seeks to expand its support base in the state.
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