The West Bengal Lok Sabha elections are one of the most significant parts of India’s general elections in 2024. West Bengal, along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is voting in all seven phases of the elections. The state sends 42 members to the Lok Sabha, with 25 constituencies having already voted in the first five phases held between April 19 and May 20. Phase 6 will see polling in eight key constituencies: Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, and Bishnupur on May 25.
Key Constituencies and Candidates in Phase 6
Lok Sabha elections 2024 phase 6 constituencies
| State/UT | Constituencies |
|---|---|
| Bihar | Valmiki Nagar, Paschim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Vaishali, Gopalganj (SC), Siwan, Maharajganj |
| Delhi | Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi, East Delhi, New Delhi, North West Delhi, South Delhi |
| Haryana | Ambala, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Hisar, Karnal, Sonipat, Rohtak, Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Faridabad |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Anantnag-Rajouri |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar, Puri, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar (SC), Cuttack, Sambalpur |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Phulpur, Allahabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Shrawasti, Domriyaganj, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Lalganj, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Machhlishahr, Bhadohi |
| West Bengal | Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, Bishnupur |
| Jharkhand | Giridih, Dhanbad, Ranchi, Jamshedpur |
| Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 Key Constituencies and Candidates by State |
|---|
| Jharkhand Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 |
| Delhi Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 |
| Odisha Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 |
| Bihar Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 |
| Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 |
| Haryana Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 6 |
Tamluk
Tamluk is composed of seven assembly segments and has historically been a stronghold of the Communist Party of India (CPI). The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has held power here since 2009. Key candidates include:
- BJP: Abhijit Gangopadhyay, former judge of Calcutta High Court.
- TMC: Debangshu Bhattacharya.
- CPI(M): Sayan Banerjee.
In 2019, Dibyendu Adhikari of TMC won by defeating BJP’s Siddharth Naskar. Adhikari has since joined BJP, making this election particularly intriguing.
Kanthi
Kanthi, also known as Contai, includes seven assembly segments. Notable candidates are:
- BJP: Soumendu Adhikari.
- TMC: Uttam Barik.
Sisir Adhikari won this seat in 2019 for TMC but switched to BJP in 2021. This seat will witness a significant battle due to the Adhikari family’s influence.
Ghatal
Ghatal is set for a star-studded contest:
- TMC: Deepak Adhikari (Dev), popular actor.
- BJP: Hiranmay Chattopadhyay, another prominent actor.
- CPI: Tapan Ganguly.
In 2019, Dev won against former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh of BJP.
Medinipur
Medinipur, comprising seven assembly segments, has key candidates including:
- BJP: Agnimitra Paul, fashion designer-turned-politician.
- TMC: June Malia, actress.
- CPI: Biplab Bhatta.
Currently represented by BJP’s Dilip Ghosh, Medinipur is set for an exciting contest between prominent personalities.
Purulia
Purulia, known for its diverse political landscape, has:
- BJP: Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato.
- TMC: Mriganko Mahato.
- CPI(M): Nepal Mahato.
This seat has seen fluctuating political control and remains a significant battleground.
Bankura
Bankura features:
- BJP: Dr. Subhas Sarkar.
- TMC: Shampa Daripa.
- CPI(M): Amiya Patra.
Dr. Subhas Sarkar of BJP holds the seat and will face strong competition from TMC and CPI(M) candidates.
Bishnupur
Reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), Bishnupur candidates are:
- BJP: Saumitra Khan.
- TMC: Sujata Mondal.
- CPI(M): Shital Koiborto.
Khan, eyeing a third consecutive win, faces a tough challenge from TMC and CPI(M).
Jhargram
Jhargram, also reserved for SC, features:
- BJP: Kunar Hembram.
- TMC: Birbaha Hansda.
- CPI(M): Debesh Chandra Bhattacharya.
This constituency is known for its tribal population and unique electoral dynamics.
Lok Sabha elections 2024 phase 6 key candidates to watch
| State/UT | Constituency | Key Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | New Delhi | Bansuri Swaraj (BJP) and Somnath Bharti (AAP) |
| North East Delhi | Manoj Tiwari (BJP) and Kanhaiya Kumar (Congress) | |
| North West Delhi | Udit Raj (Congress) and Yogendra Chandolia (BJP) | |
| Chandni Chowk | Praveen Khandelwal (BJP) and Jai Prakash Agarwal (Congress) | |
| Bihar | Valmiki Nagar | Sunil Kumar Kushwaha (JD(U)) and Deepak Yadav (RJD) |
| Paschim Champaran | Sanjay Jaiswal (BJP) and Madan Mohan Tiwari (Congress) | |
| Purvi Champaran | Radha Mohan Singh (BJP) and Rajesh Kushwaha (VIP) | |
| Gopalganj | Alok Kumar Suman (JD(U)) and Premnath Chanchal (VIP) | |
| Uttar Pradesh | Sultanpur | Maneka Gandhi (BJP) and Rambhual Nishad (SP) |
| Azamgarh | Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ (BJP) and Dharmendra Yadav (SP) | |
| Allahabad | Ujjwal Revati Raman Singh (Congress) and Neeraj Tripathi (BJP) | |
| Jaunpur | Kripashankar Singh (BJP) and Babu Singh Kushwaha (SP) | |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Anantnag-Rajouri | Mehbooba Mufti (JKPDP) and Mian Altaf Ahmed Larvi |
| West Bengal | Tamluk | Abhijit Gangopadhyay (BJP) and Debangshu Bhattacharya (TMC) |
| Jhargram | Kalipada Soren (TMC) and Pranat Tudu (BJP) | |
| Medinipur | Agnimitra Paul (BJP) and June Malia (TMC) | |
| Haryana | Karnal | Manohar Lal Khattar (BJP) and Satpal Brahmachari (Congress) |
| Kurukshetra | Naveen Jindal (BJP) and Sushil Gupta (AAP) | |
| Gurgaon | Rao Inderjit Singh (BJP) and Raj Babbar (Congress) | |
| Rohtak | Deependra Singh Hooda (Congress) and Arvind Kumar Sharma (BJP) | |
| Ambala | Varun Chaudhary (Congress) and Banto Kataria (BJP) | |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Aparajita Sarangi (BJP) and Manmath Routray (BJD) |
| Puri | Sambit Patra (BJP) and Arup Patnaik (BJD) | |
| Sambalpur | Dharmendra Pradhan (BJP) and Pranab Prakash Das (BJD) | |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi | Sanjay Seth (BJP) and Yashaswini Sahay (Congress) |
| Jamshedpur | Samir Mohanty (JMM) and Bidyut Baran Mahato (BJP) | |
| Giridih | Chandra Prakash Choudhary (AJSU) and Mathura Prasad Mahto (JMM) |
Political Context
The key parties in the West Bengal elections are the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and a coalition of Left Front and Indian National Congress. The 2019 Lok Sabha elections saw Mamata Banerjee-led TMC securing 22 seats, BJP 18 seats, and Congress 2 seats.
Notable Battles
Tamluk: A Battle of Power Shift
Tamluk’s election is significant due to the shift of Dibyendu Adhikari from TMC to BJP, highlighting the political realignments within the state.
Kanthi: Family Dynamics
Kanthi’s contest is marked by the Adhikari family’s influence, with Soumendu Adhikari representing BJP and facing TMC’s Uttam Barik.
Ghatal: Celebrity Clash
Ghatal’s election will witness a clash between two Bengali film industry stars, Dev from TMC and Hiranmay Chattopadhyay from BJP.
Voter Turnout and Previous Phases
The fifth phase of elections saw over 60% polling across 49 constituencies in six states and two Union territories. West Bengal registered the highest polling at 74.7 percent. The five constituencies that voted on May 20 included Bangaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Srerampur, Hooghly, and Arambagh.
Conclusion
The West Bengal Lok Sabha elections 2024 are crucial, with significant battles in key constituencies like Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, and Bishnupur. Each constituency presents unique political dynamics and influential candidates, making this phase particularly important. The results will provide insights into the political mood of West Bengal and could have significant implications for both state and national politics.