New Delhi, April 7 – Since the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, it has steadily consolidated its position, starting with 184 seats in 2011, reaching 211 in 2016, and finally securing 215 in the 2021 Assembly elections.
Murshidabad, a district that has been in the news for violent protests in the past, and where the largest number of names were removed from the voter list, is an example of how the state’s ruling party was able to establish itself convincingly after the 2021 Assembly elections.
The Trinamool Congress won a significant number of seats, 15 out of 22, in the district in the last state election, securing a clear majority, except for two constituencies that went to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
One of these constituencies is Baharampur, where the Congress won both in 2011 and 2016, before the BJP secured it in 2021.
The situation in Murshidabad Assembly constituency was similar, with the BJP defeating the Congress in 2021.
According to the 2011 Census, among the sub-divisions of the district (Community Development Blocks), Muslims and Hindus in Berhampore comprised 53.63% and 45.94%, respectively.
The figures for Murshidabad-Jiaganj were 54.52% and 44.61%, respectively. However, in most other sub-divisions, the percentage of the Muslim population is much higher.
The Trinamool government's focus on minority welfare and targeted schemes have been credited with helping them win most of the Assembly seats in Murshidabad.
The 2011 Census showed that Hindus made up 33.21% of the population, Muslims 66.27%, Christians 0.25%, and the rest comprised the remaining population of 71,03,807.
Muslims were mainly concentrated along the Padma River, near the Bangladesh border, while Hindus were more prevalent in urban areas.
Meanwhile, in the 2021 Assembly election, the Trinamool Congress won the district's maiden victory in constituencies like Bhagwangola, Nabagram, Domkal, and Jalangi, defeating the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
In other constituencies, such as Farakka, Suti, Lalgola, Raninagar, Khargram, Burwan, Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, and Nowda, the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party defeated sitting MLAs from the Congress.
Despite losing the 1977 Assembly election to the Left Front and its subsequent decline, the Congress maintained a significant presence in the district, largely due to Adhir Ranjan Choudhury.
The former Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha (2019-2024) was praised for his benevolence and social work, earning him the titles "Robin Hood of Murshidabad" and "Nawab of Murshidabad".
His resistance to the then Left Front and later, the Trinamool government, made him a prominent figure in the region.
He is known for his powerful speeches and his ability to mobilize local support, making him a symbol of the Congress's survival in the state.
He first contested elections in 1996 as a Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Nabagram.
He also represented the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency five times, in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. His consistent victories made Baharampur one of the few strongholds of the Congress in West Bengal.
However, in 2024, Choudhury lost Baharampur to former cricketer and Trinamool Congress candidate Yusuf Pathan, ending a 25-year winning streak. This was a significant setback, both personally and for the state Congress. He has re-entered Assembly politics in 2026, contesting from Berhampore Assembly in this month's poll.
Among the other two Parliamentary constituencies in Murshidabad district is Jangipur, which sent Pranab Mukherjee (2004 and 2009) and his son Abhijit Mukherjee (2011 bye-election and 2014 polls) to Lok Sabha, both from the Congress party.
The constituency has since been won by the Trinamool Congress in 2019, which retained it in 2024.
In the Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress ceded power to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 2014. However, since 2019, the seat has again gone to the ruling Trinamool Congress.
The first phase of the Assembly election in Murshidabad district will be held on April 23. The second round of polling will take place in West Bengal on April 29. Results are expected to be announced on May 4.
