Bengal Polls: Mamata To Contest From Bhabanipur As TMC Releases List Of Candidates; CM Questions Transfer Of Officers Before Eid
TMC will contest 291 of 294 seats, while the remaining three will be fought by Anit Thapa-led BGPM in the Darjeeling hills.
Published : March 17, 2026 at 4:20 PM IST
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest from Bhabanipur as Trinamool Congress released its list of candidates for the upcoming 2026 assembly elections on Tuesday.
Mamata will be pitted against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur. Adhikari is also contesting the polls from Nandigram, where TMC has fielded his former loyalist, Pabitra Kar, who rejoined Trinamool Congress earlier today.
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Mamata declared that her party will contest 291 of the 294 seats in the state while the remaining three seats in the Darjeeling hills will be contested by Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM).
Announcement of the candidate list for the 2026 Assembly elections | ২০২৬ বিধানসভা নির্বাচনের প্রার্থী তালিকা ঘোষণা পর্বে https://t.co/SzCvvTsNwh
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 17, 2026
Mamata expressed confidence that the TMC would retain power with a comfortable majority in the 2026 assembly elections. "We will win more than 226 seats in the 2026 assembly polls," she asserted.
She was flanked by the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and state president Subrata Bakshi.
On the occasion, Abhishek Banerjee said among TMC's 291 candidates, 52 are women, 95 are SCs-STs, and 47 are minorities. TMC has fielded Firhad Hakim in Kolkata Port, Kunal Ghosh in Beleghata, and Jyotipriyo Mallick in Habra seat.
The chief minister also sought to reassure party leaders and workers who could not find a place in the candidate list, saying they would be accommodated in the organisation.
"All those who could not be accommodated in the candidate list will be accommodated in the organisation," she said.
Targeting the opposition BJP, Mamata said the saffron party would see its numbers decline in the upcoming polls. "The BJP's tally will decrease in this election. They will receive a befitting reply for their anti-people policies," she said.
Mamata Questions Transfer Of Officers Ahead Of Eid
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the EC, alleging that senior administrative and police officers were being transferred ahead of the assembly polls at the behest of the BJP.
She warned that the poll body and the saffron party would be responsible if any untoward incident happens in the state. Addressing reporters while announcing the Trinamool Congress candidate list for the 2026 assembly elections, Banerjee questioned the timing of the changes in key administrative posts, particularly ahead of Eid.
"Why are senior officers being transferred just before Eid? Are there plans to trigger riots before elections?" she said. The chief minister alleged that the list of officers who were transferred was prepared at the BJP's office and the decision was merely implemented by the Election Commission.
She further alleged that some officials from outside West Bengal had been brought in to assist the BJP in the electoral process. "They have brought in some people from outside the state to help the BJP," she said.
Accusing the poll panel of acting under political pressure, the TMC supremo said the EC was "playing a nice game on behalf of the BJP". "They should directly campaign for the BJP," she said.
Banerjee also alleged that the transfers were aimed at facilitating the movement of money and arms for the BJP ahead of the polls. "The officers have been replaced so that money and arms are smoothly transferred to the BJP without any hindrance," she claimed.
Warning of consequences if any incident occurs during the election period, Banerjee said both the BJP and the Election Commission would have to answer for it.
"If something untoward happens, the BJP and the EC will be responsible. If something goes wrong, then they should be answerable," she said.
The TMC chief also attacked the BJP over its political campaign in the state and accused the party of using central agencies against her government.
After the poll dates were announced on Sunday, the EC transferred Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena. It subsequently removed DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata CP Supratim Sarkar.
The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases, on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
Full List of TMC Candidates
