Nalhati’s history is closely tied to its religious heritage. The town derives its name from the revered Nalhateshwari temple, a Shaktipeeth believed to be among the 51 sacred sites where parts of Sati’s body fell according to Hindu mythology. The temple attracts pilgrims from the region and beyond, especially during festivals. Nalhati retains a reputation for religious tourism, acting as a gateway to sites such as Patharchapuri, the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Data Mehboob Shah, and the Tarapith temple, which is about 25 km away and draws legions of devotees.
Since its establishment as a constituency in 1951, Nalhati has voted in 18 Assembly elections, including the 2013 by-election. The All India Forward Bloc, a key Left Front constituent, has won the seat eight times, including seven consecutive wins between 1977 and 2006. The Congress party and Independent Golam Mohiuddin have both won it four times, and the Trinamool Congress has now secured two victories. Abhijit Mukherjee, the son of India’s former President Pranab Mukherjee, won the seat in 2011, defeating Forward Bloc’s sitting MLA Dipak Chatterjee by 15,160 votes. Mukherjee resigned in 2012 after becoming MP from his father’s parliamentary seat, Jangipur, and Dipak Chatterjee regained the seat for Forward Bloc in the following by-election, defeating Abdur Rahaman of Congress by 7,746 votes. The Trinamool Congress then took the seat twice in a row: Moinuddin Shams triumphed over Chatterjee by 10,328 votes in 2016. Notably, Moinuddin's father, Kalimuddin Shams, had won on Forward Bloc tickets earlier in 1996 and 2001. Trinamool fielded Rajendra Prasad Singh in 2021, who won, defeating BJP’s Tapas Kumar Yadav by 56,905 votes; Moinuddin Shams, running as an Independent, polled less than NOTA, with just 0.88 per cent. Trinamool’s growing clout is evident, as it has led in five of the last seven elections since 2009, while not contesting the seat in the 2011 Assembly poll due to a seat-sharing agreement with Congress.
In recent parliamentary elections, Trinamool Congress led the Nalhati segment thrice, while the CPI(M) surged ahead by 1,019 votes in 2014. Trinamool rebounded with a lead of 27,381 votes in 2019, as BJP rose to second place for the first time. The 2024 Lok Sabha polls repeated this pattern with Trinamool leading the BJP by 26,426 votes.
Nalhati had 244,837 voters in 2021, compared to 231,993 in 2019 and 216,694 in 2016. Muslims form the largest group at 51 per cent, Scheduled Castes account for 30.25 per cent, and Scheduled Tribes for 3.63 per cent. The constituency is predominantly rural, with 86.71 per cent rural electors and only 13.29 per cent urban. Voter turnout remains high, with a slight fluctuation: 87.84 per cent in 2011, declining to 84.92 per cent in 2016, rising to 85.45 per cent in 2019, and dipping to 84.83 per cent in 2021.
Nalhati lies in the gently undulating plains of Birbhum, marked by red and laterite soils typical of the district’s western regions. The area is criss-crossed by small rivers and streams, such as the Brahmani and the Mayurakshi, which influence local agriculture and seasonal water availability. The landscape supports paddy, groundnut, potato, mustard, and seasonal vegetables, alongside small horticultural plots. The region’s economy rests on farming, rural trade, brick kilns, pottery, and small businesses. Nalhati has developed adequate infrastructure, including schools, local marketplaces, primary health centres, and a railway station that connects the town to Rampurhat and district centres.
Nalhati town is approximately 19 km from Rampurhat, the subdivision headquarters, and about 69 km from Suri, the district headquarters. Kolkata, the state capital, is about 228 km away. Nearby towns in West Bengal include Murarai (27 km) and Sainthia (61 km). Jharkhand’s Pakur is around 39 km away, and Dumka, another major town in Jharkhand, lies about 60 km from Nalhati.
Theoretically, the Trinamool Congress goes to the 2026 Assembly elections as the frontrunner to retain Nalhati. However, its path is not without obstacles. The BJP continues to make steady progress in the constituency, and the revived Congress-Left Front alliance, as glimpsed in the 2024 parliamentary polls, remains a factor that cannot be ignored. Trinamool is well-positioned but cannot afford to take victory for granted in a seat that promises a competitive contest.
(Ajay Jha)
