Established in 1951, the Habra Assembly constituency has participated in all 17 elections held in the state so far. The seat has seen a balanced contest between the Congress party and the Communist Party of India (CPI), with each winning six times. Two parties that emerged from the Congress fold have also left their mark – Bangla Congress won once in 1967, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has claimed the seat four times. TMC made its debut here in 2001, just three years after its formation, and followed it up with consecutive victories in 2011, 2016 and 2021.
The 2021 election, however, proved to be a nail-biter for the TMC. Jyoti Priya Mallick, a minister in the state cabinet and a two-time winner from Habra, managed to retain the seat by a slender margin of 3,841 votes against the BJP’s Biswajit Sinha. This was a marked departure from his earlier wins, which had come with comfortable leads. BJP’s rise in Habra has been steady. Though the party has yet to win the Habra or Barasat Lok Sabha seats, it has led in the Habra Assembly segment in both the 2019 and 2024 parliamentary elections, by margins of 19,452 and 19,933 votes, respectively.
Habra had 256,179 registered voters in the 2021 Assembly elections. According to estimates, Scheduled Caste voters accounted for 29.61 percent of the electorate, while Muslims made up around 17.10 percent. The constituency has a mixed demographic profile, with 55.35 percent urban voters and 44.65 percent rural voters. Voter turnout has consistently been high, with the 2021 elections recording an impressive 89 percent participation.
The terrain of Habra is part of the lower Ganges delta, characterised by flat and fertile land. The area is crisscrossed by small rivers and canals, though none of the major rivers flow directly through the town. Agriculture continues to play a role in the local economy, especially in the rural pockets, with paddy, vegetables and seasonal fruits being cultivated. The urban areas of Habra have experienced steady growth, with small-scale industries, retail businesses, and educational institutions contributing significantly to the local economy.
Infrastructure in Habra is relatively well-developed. The town is connected by rail and road to Kolkata, which lies approximately 45 km to the south. Habra railway station is part of the Sealdah–Bangaon line and serves as a key transit point for commuters. The town also has access to State Highway 1, linking it to Barasat and other parts of the district. Nearby towns include Ashoknagar (12 km), Barasat (20 km), and Bangaon (35 km).
Given the BJP’s consistently strong performance, the ruling Trinamool Congress cannot afford to take the Habra seat for granted. The BJP has edged close enough to feel the pulse of victory, and an upset cannot be ruled out. A stronger showing by the Left Front-Congress alliance could make the 2026 Assembly election more competitive and possibly tilt the balance in the BJP’s favour.
(Ajay Jha)
