6L voters removed, BJP gains edge in TMC-stronghold Kolkata
What's the story
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is preparing for a tough battle in Kolkata as the voter rolls are nearly finalized with the completion of the adjudication process. According to the fresh data released by the Election Commission this Tuesday, there has been a decrease of 6,06,563 voters in Kolkata North and South districts. This is significant as the vote margin between the TMC and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2021 Assembly elections was only 6,07,612 votes.
Constituency impact
Key constituencies and voter count changes
Per the data, the voter count in Kolkata South has decreased by 2,47,882 (around 27%), while Kolkata North has seen a drop of 3,58,681 (nearly 24%). The key constituencies in these districts include Bhabanipur, where TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is re-contesting. Other important seats are Kasba and Behala Purba/Paschim in South Kolkata and Kashipur-Belgachhia and Maniktala in North Kolkata.
Election history
TMC's victory margins in Kolkata South and North
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC had won all 14 constituencies in Kolkata with a margin of 3.46 lakh votes in South and 2.62 lakh votes in North. Seven winning MLAs were made ministers in the returning government. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, despite the BJP's rise to 18 seats from three in Bengal since 2014, the TMC had retained its stronghold with a victory margin of over one lakh votes across both districts.
Election update
Shifts in general election results
In the 2024 general elections, the BJP's seat tally fell to 12, but TMC's victory margin in Kolkata South increased to 1.87 lakh votes. In North Kolkata, it decreased to a significant 92,560 votes. Speaking to the Indian Express, a senior TMC leader expressed concern over voter deletions even in Banerjee's constituency Bhabanipur and noted that the BJP was also ahead in many wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation in the 2024 elections.
Party outlook
BJP's growing influence in Kolkata
The BJP had a lead in over 40 of the 144 wards in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections of 2024. Amit Malviya, BJP IT Chief, said that Kolkata may no longer be a comfortable turf for the TMC. He added that this could reshape the battle in 2026. A senior BJP leader was also optimistic about good results this time, "not only because of the voter deletions but because TMC will not be able to do false polling and rigging."