The seat has been won by a range of political parties over the decades, reflecting shifts in voter preference and party strength. The Praja Socialist Party won it thrice in the early years, followed by five victories for the Congress party. The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), a key member of the Left Front, held the seat seven times. In 2011, the Congress party won the seat while contesting as a junior ally of the Trinamool Congress. After the alliance ended, Congress MLA Mohd. Ghulam Rabbani joined the TMC and went on to win the seat for the party in both 2016 and 2021. His margin of victory rose sharply from 7,748 votes in 2016 to 73,514 votes in 2021, defeating the BJP, which had replaced Congress as the main challenger.
Goalpokhar had 224,633 registered voters in the 2021 Assembly elections. Muslims formed the majority, accounting for around 71.20 per cent of the electorate. Scheduled Caste voters made up 13.33 per cent, while Scheduled Tribe voters were about 3.86 per cent. The constituency is almost entirely rural, with only 1.82 per cent of voters living in urban areas. Voter turnout has consistently remained above 70 per cent in recent elections.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC managed to stay ahead in the Goalpokhar segment, but only by a narrow margin of 666 votes over the Congress party. This was a sharp drop from its lead of 48,241 votes in 2019.
Goalpokhar lies in the flat, fertile plains of North Bengal, where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. The area is fed by seasonal rivers like the Sudani and the Nagar, which support paddy and jute farming. Infrastructure is basic, with limited urban development and modest road connectivity.
Goalpokhar is located close to both the Bihar and Bangladesh borders, which adds to its strategic and demographic significance. It is situated about 45 km from Raiganj, the district headquarters, and around 75 km from Siliguri, the largest city in North Bengal. Kolkata, the state capital, lies roughly 500 km to the south.
On the Bihar side, nearby towns such as Kishanganj (20 km), Bahadurganj (25 km), Islampur (30 km), and Dalkhola (40 km) are well-connected and share cultural and economic ties with Goalpokhar. To the east, the constituency borders Bangladesh’s Thakurgaon district, with stretches of fenced international boundary running along the river. This location helps explain the high concentration of Muslim voters in the region and has often raised concerns about cross-border movement and infiltration.
Given the overwhelming number of Muslim voters, Goalpokhar has always elected a Muslim representative to the state Assembly since its inception. As the 2026 elections approach, the TMC will try to retain the seat for a third term, but the Congress-Left Front alliance is likely to put up a strong fight. The BJP, despite its rise in recent years, may find it difficult to make further gains in a constituency where community identity and long-standing loyalties continue to play a major role.
(Ajay Jha)
