BJP Announces Fourth Candidate List for West Bengal 2026 Assembly Polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released its fourth list of candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly Elections in 2026. This latest announcement includes 13 candidates and features a significant replacement in one key constituency, further solidifying the party's strategy ahead of the high-stakes electoral battle.
Detailed Candidate List and Constituency Assignments
According to the official list released by the BJP, the following candidates have been nominated:
- Ashutosh Barma will contest from the Sitai (SC) constituency.
- Girija Shankar Roy has been fielded from Natabari.
- Soma Thakur will represent the party in Bagda (SC).
- Uttam Kumar Banik is the candidate for Magrahat Purba.
- Debangshu Panda will stand from Falta.
- Debashish Dhar has been nominated for Sonarpur Uttar.
- Santosh Pathak will contest from Chowrangee.
- Shyamal Hati is the candidate for Howrah Dakshin.
- Ranjan Kumar Pual has been fielded from Panchla.
- Piyush Kantil Das will represent Chandipur.
- Pradeep Lodha is the nominee for Garbeta.
- Manav Guha will contest from Memari.
- Arijit Roy has been nominated for Barabani.
Key Replacement in Maynaguri Constituency
In a notable development, the BJP has replaced its candidate in the Maynaguri (SC) Assembly constituency. Dalim Roy will now contest from this seat, replacing Kaushik Roy, as the party fine-tunes its lineup for the crucial elections. This strategic change comes as the BJP aims to strengthen its position across all 294 constituencies in West Bengal.
Context of Previous Candidate Announcements
This fourth list follows the BJP's third list of 19 candidates, which was released on March 25. That list included Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim, who was fielded from the Panihati constituency, drawing significant public attention.
With this latest announcement, the BJP has now released a total of 287 candidates for the West Bengal Assembly elections. The breakdown of candidate announcements is as follows:
- First list: 144 candidates
- Second list: 111 candidates
- Third list: 19 candidates
- Fourth list: 13 candidates
Election Schedule and Key Dates
The West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 will be conducted in two phases, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
First Phase:
- Voting date: April 23, 2026
- Last date for filing nominations: April 6, 2026
- Scrutiny of nominations: April 7, 2026
- Last date for withdrawal of nominations: April 9, 2026
Second Phase:
- Voting date: April 29, 2026
- Gazette notification issuance: April 2, 2026
- Last date for filing nominations: April 9, 2026
- Scrutiny of nominations: April 10, 2026
- Last date for withdrawal of nominations: April 13, 2026
The counting of votes for both phases is scheduled for May 4, 2026, which will determine the outcome of this significant electoral contest.
Political Significance of the 2026 Elections
The West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 represent a pivotal moment in Indian politics, with the BJP mounting a serious challenge against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). These elections are part of a broader democratic process occurring across various regions in India and globally during 2026, including key state assembly elections, local body polls, and by-elections that could have substantial implications for national-level politics.
As political parties finalize their candidates and campaign strategies, all eyes are on West Bengal, where the electoral battle is expected to be intense and closely contested. The BJP's systematic release of candidate lists demonstrates its methodical approach to challenging the incumbent TMC government across the state's diverse constituencies.
