Labhpur has a history of long Left dominance. The CPI(M) has won the seat eight times, including a series of seven consecutive victories between 1977 and 2006. The CPI was victorious four times and the Congress party once. The Trinamool Congress has won the seat three times since 2011.
In 2011, the Trinamool Congress won Labhpur for the first time, after having finished second since its debut in 2001. Manirul Islam defeated CPI(M)’s Nabanita Mukherjee by 3,006 votes. Manirul Islam retained the seat in 2016, increasing his margin to 30,313 votes against Syed Mahfu Karim of CPI(M). In 2021, Abhijit Sinha of the Trinamool Congress won by 17,975 votes over Biswajit Mondal of the BJP, with the Left parties relegated to a distant third.
In Lok Sabha elections, the Trinamool Congress has been ahead in Labhpur since 2014. The BJP moved ahead of the CPI(M) for second spot starting in 2019, when the Trinamool led the BJP by 3,803 votes, and further increased its lead to 48,382 votes in 2024. The CPI(M) and Congress alliance polled less than five per cent together.
Labhpur had 245,634 registered voters in 2024, up from 240,044 in 2021 and 229,419 in 2019. Scheduled Castes form 32.51 per cent of voters, Scheduled Tribes make up 8.52 per cent, and Muslims account for 22.90 per cent.
Voter turnout has been very high in Assembly elections: 88.33 per cent in 2021, 88.17 per cent in 2019, and 88.42 per cent in 2016. However, it fell sharply to 58.55 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a drop of over 30 percentage points. This steep fall has been attributed to voter apathy and unfulfilled promises, with many young voters showing little interest in voting.
Labhpur is renowned for its deep-rooted cultural and intellectual tradition. It is the birthplace of Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, the acclaimed Bengali novelist celebrated for his depictions of rural Bengal, and Pranab Mukherjee, former president of India. The region is also known for its vibrant Baul and folk music tradition, which is a distinctive hallmark of Birbhum. Labhpur’s culture is further influenced by the Santali community’s traditions and the proximity to Santiniketan, the seat of Tagore’s legacy and a major centre for Bengali art and education.
The region is located in the alluvial plains of Birbhum, crossed by rivers such as the Mayurakshi and Ajay. The flat land supports agriculture as the main occupation, with paddy, oilseeds, pulses, and vegetables grown widely. Cattle and livestock rearing are important for many residents. Infrastructure in Labhpur is modest, with basic roads, healthcare and educational facilities, but some areas still lack dependable amenities.
Labhpur town is about 41 km from Suri, the district headquarters of Birbhum. Kolkata is nearly 180 km to the southeast. Bolpur (Santiniketan), a noted cultural centre, is 24 km away. Sainthia is about 22 km away, Rampurhat is 47 km away, and Illambazar is 28 km from Labhpur. Outside the district, Dumka in Jharkhand is about 90 km away, Pakur about 110 km, and Farakka near the Bangladesh border is nearly 100 km north.
The Trinamool Congress, with uninterrupted victories since 2011 and consistent leads in parliamentary polls, enters the 2026 elections with a clear advantage in Labhpur. However, the sharp decline in voter turnout in 2024 should serve as a warning signal. If the BJP can connect with those who abstained and make convincing promises, it could put pressure on the Trinamool. The CPI(M), after dominating for decades, has now fallen below five per cent in three straight elections and, even with the Congress alliance, remains largely out of the contest.
(Ajay Jha)
