Purulia Assembly Election Results 2026

Purulia, a general category Assembly constituency, is located in Purulia district, which occupies the westernmost part of West Bengal and shares its borders with Jharkhand and Odisha. The constituency comprises the Purulia municipality, the Purulia II community development block, and two gram panchayats from the Purulia I block. It is one of the seven Assembly segments under the Purulia Lok Sabha seat.

Purulia has a deep-rooted history and a vibrant tribal cultural heritage. The region stands at the lowest step of the Chota Nagpur Plateau and is known for its undulating hills, dense forests, and scenic rivers like the Kangsabati and its tributaries. The landscape is dotted with water bodies, dams, and lush greenery. Purulia’s economy is built on agriculture, forest produce, cottage industries, mining, and small-scale manufacturing. The town is known for its folk traditions, including the famous Chhau dance, terracotta art, and local festivals. The region’s flora and fauna include sal, palash, and mahua trees, while wild birds and small animals thrive in the local forests.

Purulia became known internationally after the arms drop case of December 1995. In that incident, a cache of weapons was dropped by an Antonov aircraft in the district, drawing global attention. Kim Davy, one of the accused in the case, later claimed that the arms were dropped with the knowledge and tactical support of the Congress party’s central government and its intelligence agency, RAW. According to Davy’s statement, the plan was to arm followers of Anand Marg for resistance against the Left cadre and to destabilise the state’s communist government. The Purulia arms drop remains one of the most controversial events in the district’s history.

Purulia Assembly constituency was set up in 1957 and has seen 16 elections so far. The CPI(M) registered six wins, reflecting dominance in five consecutive terms between 1987 and 2006. Congress claimed the seat on five occasions, while the Lok Sewak Sangh, a local party, secured three victories. Trinamool Congress and BJP have each won the seat once. Trinamool’s lone win came in 2011, marked by Kamakshya Prasad Singh Deo’s victory over CPI(M)’s Koushik Majumdar by 26,487 votes. In the next election, Sudip Kumar Mukherjee of Congress, a junior ally of Trinamool in 2011, won by 4,911 votes against Trinamool’s Dibyajyoti Prasad Singh Deo. Mukherjee subsequently joined the BJP before the 2021 polls. He won again, defeating Sujoy Banerjee of Trinamool by 7,018 votes.

Mukherjee’s switch to the BJP was influenced by the saffron party’s strong show in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where it led the Trinamool Congress in the Purulia Assembly segment by 36,497 votes. BJP held on to its momentum in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, tallying a lead of 22,379 votes. The Congress party, contesting in alliance with the CPI(M)-led Left Front, saw its fortunes sink further, securing just 12.09 per cent in the 2021 Assembly election and 10.29 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Purulia Assembly constituency had 271,592 registered voters in 2024, an increase from 258,947 in 2021 and 243,434 in 2019. Scheduled Caste voters account for 21.99 per cent, Scheduled Tribe voters make up 4.91 per cent, while Muslims represent 13.30 per cent of the electorate. The constituency shows a mixed voter profile, with 58.67 per cent rural and 41.33 per cent urban voters. Turnout has remained steady at over 80 per cent, with 80.25 per cent in 2021, 80.50 per cent in 2019, 80.26 per cent in 2016, dropping to 76.77 per cent in 2024.

Purulia’s terrain rises gently from the plateau, crisscrossed by the Kangsabati, Subarnarekha, and Damodar rivers. Major dams and irrigation reservoirs support farming, while low hills and forests attract visitors. The area has become a gateway for trade, with transport infrastructure linking it to highways, rail networks, and regional markets. Purulia town holds the main civil hospital, colleges, and local administrative centres. 

The Purulia town is about 12 km from Raghunathpur, 31 km from Jhalda, and 38 km from Balarampur in Bankura district. Kolkata, the state capital, lies nearly 300 km away. Asansol is around 90 km from Purulia, while Durgapur is about 100 km distant. Dhanbad in Jharkhand is approximately 80 km away, Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, stands at roughly 110 km, and Baripada in Odisha is 115 km away. Rourkela, another significant town in Odisha, lies about 140 km from Purulia. The closest airport is at Ranchi, with Kolkata Airport also serving long-distance travellers. Rail links from Purulia town station provide direct connectivity to Howrah, Asansol, Dhanbad, Ranchi, Baripada, and Rourkela.

While the BJP has consolidated its position as the favourite of Purulia’s voters and enjoys an edge over its nearest rival, the Trinamool Congress, in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections, it cannot depend only on its previous success. The Trinamool Congress is set to field a strong challenge for every vote. The BJP would also look for the revival of the Congress-Left Front alliance, as they have the potential to divide the Trinamool Congress vote base, especially among Muslim voters, and tilt the contest in the BJP’s favour.

(Ajay Jha)