Kolkata, March 19 The BJP on Thursday released its second list of 111 candidates for the West Bengal Assembly elections, naming ‘face of the Sandeshkhali agitation’ Rekha Patra and former union minister Nisith Adhikari.
Other prominent leaders featured in the list included former party MP Arjun Singh, state vice-president Tapas Roy, and actor-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly.
“For the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, the BJP has released its second list of nominated candidates. Let us unite in support of change. Cast your vote for every BJP-nominated candidate on the lotus symbol and ensure their victory with a huge mandate," the party said in an X post.
Patra, the BJP's face against TMC's alleged atrocities in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district two years ago, was nominated from the adjacent constituency of Hingalganj, where she faces the TMC’s Ananda Sarkar. Patra had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls as a BJP nominee in 2024, making her debut in electoral politics.
Ganguly will contest from Sonarpur Dakshin against TMC’s Lovely Maitra, while another actor and sitting MLA of Kharagpur Sadar Hiran Chatterjee has been nominated from Shyampur in Howrah against Nadebasi Jana of the TMC.
The party fielded lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal, instrumental in fighting many cases against the TMC government in the Calcutta High Court, from Entally. Tibrewal had unsuccessfully contested the Bhabanipur assembly by-poll against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2021.
Former Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh will contest from Noapara, where he faces TMC leader Trinankur Bhattacharya. BJP state vice-president Tapas Roy has been fielded from Maniktala against Shreya Pandey of the TMC.
Tapas Roy described the election as crucial, saying it is necessary to protect the state’s tradition of peace and harmony.
Arjun Singh said a change from what he termed “misgovernance” of the TMC was imminent and inevitable and expressed confidence of winning.
This assembly poll will usher in a double-engine government and propel Bengal’s growth in every sector, he said.
Former Union minister Nisith Pramanik was nominated from Mathabhanga, while in Purba Medinipur’s Egra, Dibyendu Adhikari, brother of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, has been fielded.
The BJP has not yet announced a candidate for Panihati, though the mother of R G Kar hospital's rape and murder victim had earlier in the day claimed to be contesting from the constituency.
According to the list, Sabita Barman will contest from Itahar, Dilip Saha from Nabagram, Mitali Mal from Khargram and Gargi Das Ghosh from Kandi. Anamika Ghosh has been nominated from Bharatpur, Swapan Majumder from Bongaon Dakshin, Arup Choudhary from Kamarhati, Sanat Sardar from Sandeshkhali and Mallika Paik from Mandirbazar.
The BJP had earlier announced candidates for 144 seats and has made one change to that list, replacing Agnishwar Naskar with Bishwajit Kha in Bishnupur.
The 294 seats in West Bengal will go to polls in two phases – April 23 and April 29 – with the counting scheduled on May 4.