Established in 2011 after delimitation, the constituency has participated in only three Assembly elections so far and has instantly become a Trinamool Congress stronghold, with the party winning all three polls held since its inception.
Trinamool Congress has made Nandakumar its fortress by securing victories in all three Assembly elections with Sukumar De as its candidate. He defeated Brahmamoy Nanda of the Samajwadi Party by 11,867 votes in 2011, retained the seat in 2016 by prevailing over the Left Front and Congress-supported Independent Siraj Khan by 10,866 votes, and then beat the BJP’s Nilanjan Adhikary by 5,406 votes or 2.40 per cent in 2021.
Notably, while the Trinamool Congress has won every time, the margins have narrowed progressively with each election, showing no runaway dominance.
The near dominance of Trinamool Congress is evident in Lok Sabha voting trends in the Nandakumar segment except in 2024 which raised alarm bells for the party. It led CPI(M) by 19,843 votes in 2009 and by an increased 23,667 votes in 2014, before the churn began. The BJP, which had polled just 1.89 per cent and 5.62 per cent in 2009 and 2014 respectively, edged past CPI(M) as the main challenger in 2019, with Trinamool still leading the BJP by 15,358 votes. The tables turned in 2024 when the BJP surged to a lead of 7,943 votes over the Trinamool Congress.
Nandakumar constituency had 263,607 total electors in the Draft Electoral Roll published under the Special Intensive Revision released on December 16, 2025, by the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, witnessing a minor decline of 3,712 voters compared to 267,319 registered in 2024. In previous elections, it stood at 253,829 in 2021, 244381 in 2019, 228,670 in 2016, and 192,113 in 2011.
No single community dominates the Nandakumar constituency, as numbers are spread out. Scheduled Castes form 12.78 per cent of the voters and Muslims 13.50 per cent. It remains a 100 per cent rural constituency with no urban voters on its rolls. A distinct shift is visible as Nandakumar voters show more enthusiasm in Assembly elections, while turnout dips noticeably in parliamentary polls. Compared to the lows of 86.25 per cent in 2019 and 86.17 per cent in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, turnout was higher at 91.68 per cent in 2011, 89.64 per cent in 2016 and 89.87 per cent in 2021.
Nandakumar lies in the flat alluvial plains typical of southern West Bengal's coastal region with fertile soil dictated by riverine deposits supporting paddy cultivation as the main economic activity, alongside fishing, vegetable farming and small trade. The area experiences tidal influences and seasonal flooding due to its proximity to rivers. Infrastructure benefits from National Highway 116 crossing through Nandakumar linking Kolaghat and Haldia, while State Highway 4 connects to Digha and other areas. Nandakumar railway station on the Tamluk-Digha line provides rail connectivity.
Tamluk, the subdivisional headquarters, is about 12 km away, Haldia is around 26 km, Kolkata, the state capital, roughly 90 km, as Egra and Contai are further along the coast. The region feels the influence of the Sundarbans delta through its coastal proximity, tidal patterns, fertile deltas, and economic ties to fishing and agriculture, though Nandakumar itself sits north of the core mangrove areas.
Nandakumar is currently showing signs of a tightening contest. Trinamool Congress has held firm since 2011, but margins have shrunk steadily, and the 2024 Lok Sabha reversal, where BJP took the lead, signals growing challenge. The Left Front-Congress alliance remains marginalised even after their pre-2021 tie-up polling low shares. The post-SIR decline of 3,712 voters might appear small, but if it holds in the final roll, it could prove decisive in such tight races, especially with recent margins in the low thousands.
Without clear details on deleted names yet, any disproportionate impact on key groups could tilt dynamics further. With this emerging churn and narrow leads, the 2026 Assembly election in Nandakumar looks evenly poised between Trinamool Congress and the BJP, where effective voter outreach and narrative strength could decide the outcome in what promises to be a photo-finish.
(Ajay Jha)
