Murarai Assembly Election Results 2026

Murarai is a general category Assembly constituency located in the northern part of West Bengal’s Birbhum district. It is one of the seven segments under the Birbhum Lok Sabha seat and comprises the Murarai I and Murarai II community development blocks. The region shares its western border with Jharkhand’s Santhal Parganas, and its proximity to the inter-state boundary has influenced both its cultural and demographic character.

Murarai Assembly constituency was originally established in 1951 and has been part of West Bengal’s electoral map since the first state elections, barring the 1957 polls when it was briefly abolished. Its present boundaries were defined following the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission in 2008. The constituency has participated in 16 Assembly elections so far.

The Congress party held the seat for six consecutive terms between 1972 and 1996. Prior to that, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) won Murarai thrice in a row – in 1967, 1969, and 1971. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) registered back-to-back victories in 2001 and 2006, followed by three consecutive wins by the Trinamool Congress. The Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party and the Revolutionary Socialist Party also won the seat once each, in 1951 and 1962, respectively.

In 2011, the Trinamool Congress made its debut in Murarai, defeating the CPI(M) by a margin of 4,403 votes. The party retained the seat in 2016, with Abdur Rahaman winning by just 280 votes against CPI(M)’s Ali Mortuza Khan. In 2021, the TMC fielded Dr Mosarraf Hossain, who defeated the BJP’s Debasis Roy by a margin of 98,246 votes. The TMC’s dominance has extended to Lok Sabha elections as well, leading in the Murarai segment by 69,403 votes in 2019, though this lead narrowed to 49,843 in 2024.

Murarai had 263,200 registered voters in the 2021 Assembly elections, up from 234,055 in 2016. Scheduled Caste voters accounted for 28.42 per cent of the electorate, while Muslims formed a substantial 48.76 per cent. The constituency is predominantly rural, with 90.58 per cent of voters residing in villages and only 9.42 per cent in urban areas. Voter turnout has remained robust, with 83.92 per cent recorded in 2021, slightly down from 85.14 per cent in 2016.

Reflecting its Muslim-majority electorate, Murarai has elected only Muslim representatives in all 16 Assembly elections held so far.

The area lies within the Brahmani-Mayurakshi Basin, flanked by the Brahmani River to the north and the Mayurakshi to the south. There is occasional intrusion of the Rajmahal Hills from Jharkhand’s Santhal Parganas into the north-western part of the subdivision, giving the terrain a mix of plains and low hillocks. The soil is mostly alluvial, supporting agriculture as the primary occupation. Paddy, mustard, and pulses are the main crops, though irrigation remains dependent on seasonal rivers and tube wells.

Murarai’s economy is largely agrarian, with limited industrial activity. Employment opportunities are scarce, leading to seasonal migration, especially among tribal and Muslim communities. Infrastructure is modest, with basic road connectivity and access to primary education and healthcare. The region has seen some development under state-sponsored schemes, but challenges remain in terms of job creation and rural infrastructure.

Murarai town serves as the administrative centre of the constituency. Rampurhat, the nearest major town, is about 30 km away and functions as the subdivision headquarters. The district headquarters, Suri, lies approximately 75 km to the south-west. The state capital, Kolkata, is around 220 km away. On the Jharkhand side, Pakur is about 40 km away, while Dumka lies roughly 70 km to the west.

Murarai’s proximity to Jharkhand has also influenced its demographic composition. The region has a sizeable Hindi-speaking population, particularly from migrant families with roots in Bihar and Jharkhand. This segment has grown increasingly vocal in recent elections and may play a decisive role in shaping the outcome in 2026.

Despite the Trinamool Congress securing three consecutive victories in Murarai, the constituency has not always been a comfortable win for the party. The margins in the first two contests were narrow. It was only in the most recent election that the TMC registered a commanding victory over the BJP. Lok Sabha trends show a similar trend with the initial dominance followed by a slight dip. This suggests that while the TMC remains ahead, the BJP has gained ground. A potential revival of the Left Front-Congress alliance, coupled with a split in the Muslim vote, could make the 2026 contest a closely watched affair.

(Ajay Jha)