West Bengal polls 2026: BJP unveils 144 candidates as two-phase voting begins April 23
The political temperature in West Bengal has surged after the Election Commission of India announced the 2026 Assembly election schedule, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle next month. Voting will take place in two phases, with Phase 1 scheduled for April 23 and Phase 2 on April 29. The counting of votes will be conducted on May 4.
The phased elections will cover key constituencies across the state. Phase 1 includes seats such as Tapan and Tufanganj, while Phase 2 will see polling in Amdanga, Amta, Arambag, and Rashbehari, among others.
With dates now locked in, political parties have intensified their campaigning efforts across both urban centres and rural belts.
Adding momentum to the contest, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its first list of 144 candidates, signalling an aggressive push to strengthen its presence in the state.
Top BJP leaders in the fray:
- Suvendu Adhikari – Bhabanipur
- Dilip Ghosh – Kharagpur Sadar
- Swapan Dasgupta – Rashbehari
- Ajay Roy – Dinhata
- Malati Rava Roy – Tufanganj
- Manoj Kumar Oraon – Kumargram (ST)
- Paritosh Das – Alipurduars
- Nimitra Paul – Asansol South
More names are expected to be announced in the coming days, making the candidates list a crucial factor in shaping voter sentiment ahead of polling.
The 2026 elections are shaping up to be a fierce multi-cornered contest, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) all vying for power. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC enters the race as the incumbent, having secured a commanding 215 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections.
With high-voltage campaigning underway and key players entering the battlefield, the West Bengal polls are expected to be one of the most closely watched political contests in the country this year.