West Bengal Assembly Bypolls: TMC vs BJP Showdown

Four assembly seats in West Bengal are going for bypolls with the BJP and TMC vying for dominance. While BJP aims to boost morale by capitalizing on their Lok Sabha leads, TMC seeks to extend their electoral success. Elaborate security measures have been implemented for the polls.

The political battlefield in West Bengal heats up as four assembly seats head into bypolls on Wednesday. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are making strategic moves. The BJP is banking on its Lok Sabha election gains in three segments, while the TMC hopes to build on recent victories.

Three constituencies, Maniktala in Kolkata, Ranaghat Dakshin, and Bagdah in North 24 Parganas, are crucial for BJP, having secured Ranaghat Dakshin and Bagdah seats in the 2021 assembly polls. The fourth constituency, Raiganj in Uttar Dinajpur, was also won by BJP in the last elections but saw its MLAs switch to TMC thereafter.

TMC is confident, with leader Kunal Ghosh stating, "We are confident of winning all four assembly seats." In contrast, the BJP, despite a lackluster Lok Sabha performance, remains hopeful of retaining key constituencies. The Left Front, supported by the Congress, is also contesting, making this a multifaceted electoral contest.

(With inputs from agencies.)