Battle for Bengal: Key Candidates to Watch in the 2026 Assembly Polls – From Suvendu Adhikari to Adhir Chowdhury

New Delhi: The political temperature across West Bengal has reached a fever pitch today, April 23, 2026. As of this morning, voting is officially underway for the first phase of the state assembly elections, with 152 constituencies spanning North, West, and parts of South Bengal heading to the ballot box.

For the electorate, this is just the beginning. The democratic exercise continues with the second and final phase on April 29, covering the remaining 142 seats. All eyes will then turn toward May 4, when the results will be declared, deciding the fate of the 294-seat assembly. The state is currently witnessing an intense, direct clash between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), spearheaded by Mamata Banerjee, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A State in Transition: Key Faces and High-Profile Contests

This election is as much about the individual battles as it is about the parties. Several high-profile candidates and emerging figures have turned their respective constituencies into political pressure cookers. Here is a look at the key names currently in the fray:

The BJP’s Strategic Anchors

Suvendu Adhikari As the Leader of the Opposition, Adhikari remains the central pillar of the BJP’s campaign. Having famously defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021, he is again driving the party's ground strategy. His contest this time is a personal one, as he faces Pabitra Kar, a former associate who recently jumped ship to the TMC.

Dilip Ghosh: A veteran in the saffron camp, Ghosh is looking to reclaim the Kharagpur Sadar seat. After losing the constituency in 2021 to the TMC’s Pradip Sarkar, he is fighting a stiff battle to secure a comeback.

Agnimitra Paul: Following her victory in Asansol South in 2021, where she bested Sayani Ghosh, Paul is back on the ticket. This time, she faces a fresh challenge from the TMC’s Tapas Banerjee.

Nisith Pramanik: The former Union Minister has shifted his focus to the crucial Mathabhanga (SC) seat in North Bengal. He is locked in a multi-cornered contest involving the TMC’s Sablu Barman, as well as candidates from the Left and Congress.

The TMC’s Defensive Line

Goutam Deb: As the Mayor of Siliguri, Deb is fighting to retain his influence in the region. Having won the Dabgram-Phulbari seat in 2021, he is now in a direct confrontation with the BJP’s Shankar Ghosh.

Udayan Guha: Dinhata remains a seat to watch. After a narrow loss to Nisith Pramanik in 2021, Guha bounced back in the subsequent by-election. He now faces BJP's Ajay Rai in what promises to be a tight race.

Arup Roy: Looking to cement his position in Howrah Madhya after his 2021 win, Roy is once again squaring off against BJP’s Sanjay Singh.

Shaoni Singha Roy: A seasoned former MLA, Singha Roy is contesting from Murshidabad. After switching to the TMC, she is aiming to reclaim a seat she previously won twice as a Congress candidate before losing narrowly in 2021.

The Veteran Returns and New Faces

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: In a significant development, the veteran Congress leader is contesting an assembly election for the first time in 25 years. All eyes are on Baharampur, where he faces a challenge from BJP’s Subrata Maitra and TMC’s Naru Gopal Mukherjee.

Ratna Debnath: Among the new entrants, Debnath is carrying the TMC banner in Panihati. The seat has seen a transition, as longtime incumbent Nirmal Ghosh stepped aside to allow his son, Tirthankar Ghosh, to contest though the party's choice of Ratna brings a fresh dynamic to the area.

As voters queue up across the state today, the political narrative is shifting from promises to performance. With 152 seats deciding their representatives today, the stage is set for a dramatic conclusion when the final votes are counted in early May.

Read More: West Bengal Polls LIVE: Voting Begins For 152 Constituencies in Phase 1