Kolkata: In a major political upset, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has emerged victorious from the high-profile Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, defeating West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by a margin of 15,114 votes after the completion of all 20 rounds of counting.
According to the final results, Adhikari secured 73,463 votes, while Banerjee polled 58,349 votes. The result marks a significant turnaround in Bhabanipur, a constituency long considered a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress and personally associated with Mamata Banerjee.
The Bhabanipur contest had drawn intense national attention, with both leaders campaigning vigorously. The outcome is particularly notable given that Banerjee had won the seat comfortably in a by-election in 2021 with a margin of nearly 59,000 votes.
Adhikari’s victory further cements his position as a key figure in West Bengal politics. He had earlier also won from his home turf, Nandigram, where he had defeated Banerjee in the 2021 Assembly elections by a narrow margin.
The results in Bhabanipur come amid a broader surge for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) across the state, where the party has either won or is leading in a significant number of constituencies. The outcome is being seen as a major shift in the political landscape of West Bengal.
Political observers note that the scale of Adhikari’s victory in Bhabanipur reflects changing voter preferences and growing support for the BJP in urban constituencies.
With this win, Suvendu Adhikari has delivered a major blow to the Trinamool Congress leadership, while boosting the BJP’s morale and strengthening its position in the state’s evolving political dynamics.
