In West Bengal's Kandi Assembly constituency, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Gargi Das Ghosh emerged victorious in the 2026 Assembly elections, defeating All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) candidate Apurba Sarkar by a margin of 10,335 votes. Ghosh secured 73,355 votes, while Sarkar received 63,020 votes.
Voter Turnout and Demographics
The constituency had a total of 2,33,024 registered voters, comprising 1,20,346 males, 1,12,675 females, and 3 individuals from the third gender. West Bengal voted across 294 seats in two phases on April 23 and April 29, recording a combined turnout of nearly 93 per cent. This marked the highest turnout since Independence and one of the largest in Indian electoral history. The surge was notable not only in rural strongholds but also in urban centers, with women voters outpacing men to drive record participation.
Historical Context of Kandi Constituency
Kandi is one of the 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, located in Murshidabad district and part of the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat. It is a general category constituency that has shown continuity in leadership alongside shifts in party affiliation in recent elections.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Kandi had 238,973 registered electors, of whom 186,481 cast valid votes. The seat was won by Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Apurba Sarkar, popularly known as "David," who secured 95,399 votes. BJP candidate Goutam Roy finished second with 57,319 votes, trailing by a margin of 38,080 votes.
In the 2016 Assembly elections, the constituency had an electorate of 208,187, with 159,553 valid votes recorded, reflecting a turnout of 76.75 per cent. Indian National Congress candidate Apurba Sarkar (David) won the seat with 81,723 votes. TMC candidate Dr. Santanu Sen came second with 60,943 votes, losing by a margin of 20,780 votes.
Significance of the 2026 Results
The 2026 elections saw a dramatic shift in Kandi, with the BJP wresting the seat from the TMC. The high voter turnout, especially among women, underscored the electorate's engagement. The results also reflect broader trends in West Bengal, where the BJP has been making inroads into traditional TMC strongholds.
