Lok Sabha elections 2019: Is TMC’s hold on tribal areas slipping?

Of the eight constituencies, the most politically significant fight in this phase will be in Medinipur, where BJP state unit president Dilip Ghosh is pitted against seven-time MLA and former TMC Rajya Sabha MP Manas Bhunia.

All the eight constituencies that go to polls in West Bengal on May 12 fall in the western part of the state.

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee faces a new challenge from BJP in Bankura, Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia constituencies. (ANI file photo)

Of the eight constituencies, which includes Ghatal, Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia, among others, the most politically significant fight in this phase will be in Medinipur, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit president Dilip Ghosh is pitted against seven-time MLA and former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Manas Bhunia.

Purulia and Jhargram seats are also significant since these contain large swathes of former Maoist-dominated regions where the BJP has been able to establish pockets of influence, as was evident during the panchayat elections of 2018. In 2014, the TMC won all these seats.

Saumitra Khan, who won Bishnupur in 2014 as a TMC candidate, joined the BJP in January. He will stand from the same seat on a BJP ticket, but as he was barred by a division bench of the Calcutta high court from entering Bankura district to ensure free and fair investigation into cases alleging bribery in appointment of teachers and involvement in illegal sand-mining, his wife Sujata Mondal has been campaigning on his behalf.

In Bankura seat, Subrata Mukherjee, who first became an MLA in 1971, a minister in 1972, and served as Kolkata’s mayor between 2000-2005, will face BJP’s Subhas Sarkar, the party’s state unit vice-president who has significant influence in the district. The CPI(M) candidate is Amiya Patra, a central committee member of the party.

In Ghatal, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Bharati Ghosh is contesting on a BJP ticket. She is taking on incumbent Dipak Adhikary alias Dev, a Bengali film star, of the TMC.

“TMC has advantages over others in this phase, mainly because the Left is expected to retain its vote share to a good extent in Jhargram, Bankura and Midnapore — exactly the seats that the BJP is hopeful of winning. Left candidates securing anything above 20% votes will increase TMC’s chances,” said Maidul Islam of the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences.