Tollyganj Assembly Election 2024

Established in 1951, Tollygunje had three Assembly seats at the time of its first election in 1952, before being streamlined into a single seat from the 1957 polls. The Left parties long held sway, winning eight times (seven CPI(M), one unified CPI in 1962). Congress won twice and the Praja Socialist Party once in the 1957 elections. Trinamool Congress has established its bastion here by notching five consecutive wins since 2001. Cabinet-ranked minister Aroop Biswas has held the seat for four terms since 2006, with fluctuating margins – winning by just 526 votes against CPI(M)'s Partha Pratim Biswas in 2006, extending the lead to 27,670 votes in 2011 again over Partha Pratim, then shrinking to 9,896 votes in 2016 against CPI(M)’s Madhuja Sen Roy, and finally surging to 50,080 votes in 2021, when he defeated BJP’s sitting Asansol MP Babul Supriyo.

The CPI(M) led over Trinamool Congress in the Tollygunje segment by 7,428 votes in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. However, from 2014 onward, Trinamool Congress has consistently led, with margins of 9,035 votes in 2014, 18,965 in 2019, and an increased lead of 20,235 votes in 2024. The BJP cemented its role as the main challenger, overtaking CPI(M), a status also reflected in the 2021 Assembly contest.

Tollygunje had 263,402 registered voters in 2024, down from 269,713 in 2021 and 257,830 in 2019. Scheduled Castes, accounting for around 10–12 per cent of the electorate, form the largest group. The social texture is characteristically mixed and upscale, typical of South Kolkata’s most affluent quarters, with no rural voters. Voter turnout, though robust historically, has declined in recent years: 75.34 per cent in 2016, 72.94 per cent in 2019, and just 68.98 per cent in 2021.

Tollygunje’s history is shaped by its location at the southern edge of Kolkata, just north of the Adi Ganga canal. The area takes its name from Colonel William Tolly, who excavated the Tolly Nullah (now Adi Ganga) in the late 18th century. Today, Tollygunje stands as the beating heart of Bengal’s film industry, popularly known as Tollywood. Renowned film studios such as Indrapuri and Technician Studio line the area, alongside the iconic Studio Para, a creative quarter once synonymous with big Bengali hits and national awards. The neighbourhood is dotted with famous landmarks: Tollygunje Club, with its riding school and historic golf course; Kolkata Race Course, Deshapran Sashmal Road, and the terminal Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Metro station.

The area is a transport hub with exceptional infrastructure. Tram routes and the southern tram depot link Tollygunje to Ballygunge and central Kolkata. The neighbourhood is the entry point to Kolkata’s Metro Line 1 via Mahanayak Uttam Kumar station, and Tollygunje Railway Station lies on the Budge Budge suburban line. Arterial roads connect Tollygunje to Lake Gardens, Behala, Jadavpur, and Prince Anwar Shah Road, with easy access to bus services.

Kolkata Airport is 26-28 km away from Tollygunje, Howrah Railway Station is 13-15 km, Baruipur is 20-21 km, Alipore Zoo is 7 km, Esplanade is 12 km, and Park Street is 11 km. Tollygunje is 20 km from Baruipur, the district headquarters, and about 7 km from Alipore. The locality is also well-connected by road and rail to other towns in neighbouring districts, such as Sonarpur (12 km), Dum Dum (19 km), and Barrackpore (28 km).  

Given Trinamool Congress’s growing foothold and the steep decline of the erstwhile mighty CPI(M), Trinamool remains the favourite to retain Tollygunje seat in the 2026 Assembly elections. The BJP, now the principal challenger, still has ground to cover before it can overtake Trinamool. The BJP’s strategy of fielding singer Babul Supriyo, who was the sitting Asansol MP in 2021, did not work. Supriyo has since joined the Trinamool Congress and is now serving as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government. With Supriyo no longer available as a candidate, the BJP will need to find someone with broader appeal who can connect with Tollygunje’s discerning voters.

(Ajay Jha)