In the marshy heart of West Bengal’s Sundarbans, Sandeshkhali assembly seat is buzzing with pre-election fervor for 2026. Reserved for Scheduled Tribes since 2011 delimitation, this North 24 Parganas gem was born in 1951 as a general seat and has witnessed dramatic political swings.
Life here revolves around tides and traps—fishing, paddy fields, and fragile embankments battling cyclones and salinity. The constituency envelopes seven gram panchayats across two blocks, boasting 2.5 lakh voters, all rural. SCs form the largest bloc, trailed by STs and a significant Muslim population. Voter turnout stays robust, reflecting deep democratic engagement.
Historically, CPI(M) ruled supreme with a 34-year streak until TMC shattered it in 2016. Sukumar Mahata’s landslide victory repeated in 2021, but BJP’s relentless rise—peaking with a Lok Sabha lead—signals a three-way tussle. Paper stats show TMC-BJP parity, yet the January 2024 ED raid violence flipped the script.
Clashes during investigations into land grabs and abuses linked to TMC strongmen ignited fury. Women protesters demanded justice, amplifying national headlines and eroding TMC’s rural fortress. BJP smells blood, targeting tribal and Dalit votes with anti-corruption rhetoric.
Experts foresee a backlash punishing incumbents, potentially handing BJP its breakthrough. Fading Left and Congress might play spoilers. Sandeshkhali thus embodies Bengal’s evolving fault lines: development woes, ethnic dynamics, and the price of impunity.