In West Bengal's Chanchal assembly constituency, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Prasun Banerjee secured a decisive victory in the 2026 elections, garnering 1,28,014 votes. He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ratan Das, who lost by a margin of 63,874 votes.
Chanchal Constituency Profile
Chanchal is a general (unreserved) assembly constituency located in the Malda district, falling under the Maldaha Uttar Lok Sabha seat. It encompasses the Chanchal I community development block and several gram panchayats of the Harishchandrapur I block. The area is predominantly rural and has a significant Muslim population, which has historically played a crucial role in shaping electoral outcomes.
Historical Voting Patterns
For many years, Chanchal was considered a stronghold of the Indian National Congress. Asif Mehbub, who is now contesting as the Congress candidate, won the seat in both 2011 and 2016. In the 2016 assembly elections, Mehbub retained the seat comfortably, defeating the TMC candidate by a considerable margin.
2021 Election Shift
The 2021 assembly elections marked a significant shift in Chanchal's political landscape. TMC's Nihar Ranjan Ghosh won in a landslide, defeating BJP's Dipankar Ram by over 67,000 votes. The Congress party was relegated to third place. This dominant performance underscored TMC's consolidation of the Muslim vote in the constituency.
2026 Contest and Outcome
In the 2026 elections, the TMC fielded Prasun Banerjee against BJP's Ratan Das and Congress's Asif Mehbub. Banerjee's victory by a margin of 63,874 votes reflects the TMC's continued stronghold in the region. The party successfully retained the seat, while Asif Mehbub's comeback attempt for Congress fell short.
The election results in Chanchal are part of the broader 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, where the TMC is seeking to maintain its dominance. The results also have implications for the Maldaha Uttar Lok Sabha seat, which will be contested in the upcoming general elections.
