The Congress party dominated the early decades, winning six of the seven elections between 1951 and 1972, with the Communist Party of India breaking the streak in 1957. The political tide shifted in 1977 with the rise of the Left Front, which held power in West Bengal for 34 years. Mal mirrored this shift, with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) winning seven consecutive elections from 1977 to 2006 and even retaining the seat in 2011, despite the Trinamool Congress replacing it as the state’s ruling party.
CPI(M)’s Bulu Chik Baraik, who had narrowly held off the TMC wave in 2011, switched allegiance to the Trinamool Congress and won the seat for the party in both 2016 and 2021. His switch proved strategic. After winning by just 4,216 votes in 2011, he expanded his margin to 18,462 in 2016. However, in 2026, his margin shrank again to 5,465 votes, suggesting a tightening contest. The BJP, meanwhile, has steadily expanded its footprint in Mal. From a fifth-place finish with 5,006 votes in 2011, it rose to third in 2016 with 29,380 votes and surged to second in 2021 with 93,621 votes, positioning itself as a serious contender in 2026.
This upward trajectory is also reflected in parliamentary elections. In 2009, the BJP trailed behind the CPI(M) and Congress in the Mal segment. It remained in third place in 2014, while the TMC overtook the CPI(M). The BJP surged to the top in 2019, pushing the TMC to second place. However, the TMC regained its lead in 2024, finishing ahead of the BJP by 12,815 votes in the Mal segment.
Mal constituency had 2,37,305 registered voters in the 2021 Assembly elections. Scheduled Tribe voters accounted for approximately 32.36 per cent, Scheduled Caste voters for 25.45 per cent, and Muslims made up around 19 per cent of the electorate. The constituency is known for its consistently high voter turnout, which has hovered between the mid-80s and 90 per cent across election cycles.
Geographically, Mal lies in the Dooars region, nestled at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. The terrain is a mix of forested tracts, tea gardens, and fertile plains. Rivers such as the Neora, Murti, and Diana flow through the area, supporting agriculture and influencing settlement patterns. The economy is primarily agrarian, with tea estates playing a central role in employment and revenue. Mal is home to several tea gardens, and the region’s proximity to Bhutan adds a layer of cross-border cultural and economic exchange.
Infrastructure in Mal is modest but improving. The town of Malbazar serves as the administrative and commercial hub of the constituency. It is located about 55 km from Jalpaiguri, the district headquarters, and roughly 65 km from Siliguri, the largest urban centre in North Bengal. The state capital Kolkata lies approximately 600 km to the south. Across the border in Bhutan, towns like Samtse and Phuentsholing are accessible and contribute to informal trade and tourism.
BJP’s emergence as a political force to reckon with in Mal constituency has added a layer of intrigue. While the TMC can still fancy its chances of retaining this seat and scoring a hat-trick of victories, the BJP is expected to pose a serious challenge. The outcome could hinge on the revival – or lack thereof – of the Left Front, whose traditional vote bank has been steadily eroded by the TMC’s rise in the region.
(Ajay Jha)
