West Bengal Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Key constituencies and candidates in Phase 5

The fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections will witness a slew of high-octane face-offs in West Bengal.

Seven Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal - Arambag, Bangaon, Barrackpore, Hooghly, Howrah, Sreerampur and Uluberia – will go into polls for the fifth phase of the 18th Lok Sabha Elections on May 20. Notably, these constituencies mainly lie in the state’s industrial belt.

A brief look at the key contenders and constituencies going into polls in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections in West Bengal:

Arambag

Arambag holds significance in the state's political landscape, being one of the parliamentary constituencies falling under the SC category among the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats.

Historically, it was under the Left's control since 1980 until the TMC gained dominance in 2014. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, TMC's Aparupa Poddar secured victory with 6,49,929 votes and a 44.15 percent vote share, narrowly defeating BJP’s Tapan Kumar Ray by a margin of just 1,142 votes.

This time, TMC has nominated Mitali Bag to contest against BJP’s Anup Kanti Digar and CPI(M) candidate Biplab Kumar Moitra (in alliance with the Congress).

Bangaon

In Bangaon, BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur is competing against TMC's Biswajit Das. The Bangaon constituency, formed in 2009 and primarily populated from the North 24 Parganas district, is a seat reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates.

Since 2009, the ruling party TMC had been winning in this constituency. In 2019, however, BJP’s Shantanu Thakur clinched victory by defeating TMC's Mamata Thakur – both belonging to the Matua community.

Besides, Shantanu Thakur is the head of the All India Matua Mahasangha, headquartered at Thakurnagar in Bongaon. This position gives him significant influence over the Matua community, which migrated here in large numbers in 1947 post-partition, and plays a crucial role in the constituency's electoral dynamics. The community's stance on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which serves as a crucial litmus test, could be a decisive factor in the election outcome.

Also Read | No CAA, NRC, UCC: Key poll promises in Trinamool Congress manifesto

Barrackpore

In Barrackpore, Arjun Singh is contesting on a BJP ticket after being denied a nomination by the TMC. Before the 2019 election, Arjun Singh left the TMC to join the BJP. Despite winning a seat as a BJP MP, he switched back to the TMC three years later, reportedly with the promise of a ticket for the current elections. However, when the TMC announced its candidate list in March, his name was absent. Feeling betrayed by the TMC, Arjun Singh returned to the BJP, marking his fourth political switch.

Singh is pitted against TMC’s Partha Bhowmick and the CPI(M)’s Debdut Ghosh, backed by the Congress.

Also Read | West Bengal phase 5 voting: CAA, minority math, alliances among factors at play

Howrah 

The Howrah Lok Sabha constituency has traditionally been a stronghold of the TMC. Notably, this constituency reportedly has a significant portion of voters who are non-Bengali speakers, hailing from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

In the ongoing Lok Sabha Election, 19 candidates are competing for this seat. They include Prasun Banerjee, Ashraf Ali, Chandra Sekhar Jha, Debasish Mandal, Gautam Kumar Shaw, Imtiaz Ahmed Mollah, Kanai Sit, Kashi Nath Malick, Md. Shanawaz, Pankaj Gar, Rantidev Sengupta, Samir Mondal, Sekhar Mondal, Shailendra Kumar Jaiswal, Shyam Prasad Ram, Sisir Samanta, Sudarsan Manna, Sumitro Adhikary, and Suvra Ghosh.

Also Read | Why BJP sees an opening in West Bengal because of Sandeshkhali

Hooghly

In the ongoing election, BJP's Locket Chatterjee will face off against against TMC's Rachna Banerjee,  CPI(M)'s Manadip Ghosh, IND's Mrinal Kanti Das, and SUCI's Paban Mazumder in the Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency.

The Hooghly contest is notable this time for featuring two Bengali cine stars, Chatterjee defending her seat against TMC's Rachna Banerjee, a newcomer to both polls and politics. Banerjee is known for hosting the popular TV show Didi No. 1. CM Mamata Banerjee is significantly banking on Rachna Banerjee’s popularity among women in the sub-urban areas to clinch victory in this constituency.

Also Read | Singur: They voted for TMC and then BJP. Now they are urging parties to restore their livelihood

Sreerampur

In Sreerampore, the historical battleground between the Congress and the CPI(M) saw a shift in dynamics when TMC's Akbar Ali Khondkar secured victory in 1998 and 1999, only to lose to the CPI(M) in 2004.

Since 2009, TMC stalwart Kalyan Banerjee has held sway over this constituency. However, in the current election, he faces a formidable challenge from BJP’s Kabir Shankar Bose and CPI(M) young gun Dipsita Dhar, with support from the Congress.

Also Read | Why BJP has a chance to overtake TMC in Bengal

Uluberia

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, TMC's Sajda Ahmed will contend against BJP's Arun Uday Pal Chaudhary and Congress' Azahar Mollick in the Uluberia constituency.

Uluberia boasts a near-even split between Hindu and Muslim voters, making it a significant battleground. The political landscape of this constituency reflects a historical dominance of the Left Front, symbolised by Hannan Mollah of the CPI (M), who secured victory here a remarkable eight times. This stronghold was, nonetheless, challenged in 2009 when TMC's Sultan Ahmed emerged victorious. Following Ahmed's passing, his wife, Sajda Ahmed, clinched victory in the subsequent by-election held in 2018, maintaining the party's hold over the constituency.