Purbasthali Dakshin Assembly Election 2024

For over five decades, the Congress and CPI(M) dominated the political space. The Congress won the first three elections between 1951 and 1962, followed by three consecutive victories for the CPI(M) in 1967, 1969 and 1971. Congress claimed the seat one last time in 1972 before CPI(M) began its long reign, winning seven straight terms from 1977 to 2006. The tide turned in 2011 when Trinamool Congress captured the seat and has since held it firmly.

Swapan Debnath of the Trinamool Congress won in 2011, defeating CPI(M)’s Aleya Begam by 15,858 votes. He retained the seat in 2016 with a margin of 37,666 votes over Congress’s Abhijit Bhattacharya, and again in 2021 by 17,410 votes against BJP’s Rajib Kumar Bhowmick. Notably, Debnath has defeated candidates from three different parties across three elections. BJP’s rise is evident, with its vote share climbing from 6.22 per cent in 2011 to 9.70 per cent in 2016, and then surging to 41 per cent in 2021.

The BJP’s emergence as the second most popular party is also reflected in the recent Lok Sabha elections. It overtook CPI(M) to finish second in both 2019 and 2024 in the Purbasthali Dakshin segment. Trinamool Congress led by 21,908 votes in 2019 and maintained a similar lead of 21,362 votes in 2024.

The constituency had 253,983 registered voters in 2024, up from 248,533 in 2021. As per 2011 data, Scheduled Castes made up 24.84 per cent, Scheduled Tribes 7.51 per cent, and Muslims 28 per cent of the electorate. It is a predominantly rural seat with just 21.04 per cent of its electorate living in urban pockets. Voter turnout has remained robust, peaking at 88.10 per cent in 2016, recording 86.68 per cent in the 2021 Assembly elections, and dipping to 82.62 per cent in the 2024 parliamentary polls. 

Purbasthali Dakshin lies in the fertile alluvial plains of the moribund Ganga delta, flanked by the Bhagirathi, Ajay and Damodar rivers. The terrain is flat and low-lying. The Bhagirathi River meanders through the region, forming oxbow lakes and bils, including the prominent Chupi Char lake, which attracts migratory birds and supports local fisheries. The soil is moderately to strongly alkaline, composed of recent and older alluvium.

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy, with paddy, jute, and vegetables as the main crops. The area is known for high groundwater arsenic levels, which have prompted water safety initiatives. Infrastructure is modest but functional, with road and rail links to nearby towns. Kalna, the nearest urban centre, is about 12 km away. Nabadwip lies 8 km to the west across the Bhagirathi River. Katwa is 25 km to the north, and Bardhaman town, the district headquarters, is 40 km to the west. The state capital, Kolkata, is approximately 120 km south. The constituency borders Nadia district to the east and Hooghly district to the southwest. Towns in adjoining districts include Krishnanagar (45 km), Ranaghat (60 km), and Chinsurah (70 km).

Historically, the region has been part of the Gangetic cultural belt, with ancient settlements and temples scattered across Kalna and Nabadwip. Purbasthali itself is known for its oxbow lake and bird sanctuary, which has become a local attraction during the winter months.

Trinamool Congress’s string of three consecutive victories and the fact that it has maintained steady leads in the past four Lok Sabha polls are sure signs that it is comfortably placed to retain the Purbasthali Dakshin seat in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections, unless the BJP is able to successfully fan the anti-incumbency narrative and the Left Front-Congress alliance stages a dramatic comeback after languishing in the margins for the past few years. As of now, Trinamool Congress’s Joda Ghas Phul, its electoral symbol, will bloom again without any major hitch. 

(Ajay Jha)