The Congress party has released its list of 284 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, signalling the party’s formal entry into the race for the 2026 polls. Among the key names announced is senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who will contest the election from the Baharampur constituency.
The eastern state has 294 Assembly seats, and the elections will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29. According to the election schedule, the counting of votes will be held on November 4. Political parties have already begun intensifying their campaigns as the state prepares for one of the most closely watched elections of the year.
The political contest in Bengal is widely expected to revolve around the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has governed the state since 2011 and is seeking another term in power. Over the years, the BJP has emerged as the principal opposition force in the state, replacing the traditional influence of the Congress and Left parties.
For the Congress, the release of the candidate list represents an attempt to rebuild its political base in the state after years of declining electoral performance. The party has fielded candidates across most constituencies, hoping to reconnect with voters and regain lost ground in districts where it once held strong influence.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s candidature from Baharampur is considered significant. The veteran leader has long been associated with the Murshidabad region and is seen as one of the few Congress leaders who still command strong grassroots support in the state. Party strategists believe his presence in the Assembly race could energise the cadre and strengthen the campaign in several neighbouring constituencies.
The 2026 elections will also be shaped by the political legacy of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, which dramatically changed the opposition landscape in the state. In that election, voting was conducted in eight phases between March 27 and April 29 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite an aggressive campaign by the BJP, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress returned to power with a decisive victory, securing a third consecutive term.
However, the election produced a major shift in the opposition space. The BJP emerged as the principal opposition party with 77 seats, while the Congress and Left parties failed to win a single seat in the Assembly for the first time in Bengal’s history.
| Constituency No. | Constituency Name | Congress Candidate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mekliganj (SC) | Ila Rani Roy |
| 2 | Mathabhanga (SC) | Khitendra Nath Barman |
| 3 | Coochbehar Uttar (SC) | Partha Pratim Ishore |
| 4 | Coochbehar Dakshin | Khokan Mian |
| 5 | Sitalkuchi (SC) | Sukamal Barman |
| 6 | Sitai (SC) | Rabin Roy |
| 7 | Dinhata | Harihar Ray Singha |
| 8 | Natabari | Biswajit Sarkar |
| 9 | Tufanganj | Debendra Nath Barma |
| 10 | Kumargram (ST) | Sudham Lama |
| 11 | Kalchini (ST) | Anjan Chik Baraik |
| 13 | Falakata (SC) | Akshoy Kumar Barman |
| 14 | Madarihat (ST) | Dr. Joy Prafulla Lakra |
| 15 | Dhupguri (SC) | Harish Chandra Roy |
| 16 | Maynaguri (SC) | Jogen Sarkar |
| 17 | Jalpaiguri (SC) | Sudipto Mohonto |
| 18 | Rajganj (SC) | Tushar Kanti Roy |
| 19 | Dabgram-Fulbari | Rohit Singh Sisodiya (Guddu) |
| 20 | Mal (ST) | Rakesh Kujur |
| 21 | Nagrakata (ST) | Shinu Munda |
| 22 | Kalimpong | Santa Kumar Pradhan |
| 23 | Darjeeling | Madhap Rai |
| 24 | Kurseong | Saroj Kumar Khatri |
| 25 | Matigara-Naxalbari (SC) | Amitava Sarkar |
| 26 | Siliguri | Aloke Dhara |
| 27 | Phansidewa (ST) | Nabanita Tirkey |
| 28 | Chopra | Zakir Abedin |
| 30 | Goalpokhar | Masood Md Naseem Ahsen |
| 31 | Chakulia | Ali Imran Ramz (Victor) |
| 32 | Karandighi | Murshid Alam |
| 35 | Raiganj | Mohit Sengupta |
| 36 | Itahar | Amal Acharya |
| 37 | Kushmandi (SC) | Bablu Sarkar |
| 38 | Kumarganj | Gulam Martuja Mandal |
| 39 | Balurghat | Pradip Kumar Mitra |
| 40 | Tapan (ST) | Bankim Chandra Toppo |
| 41 | Gangarampur (SC) | Jui Barman |
| 42 | Harirampur | Subhasish Pal (Sona) |
| 43 | Habibpur (ST) | Rajen Soren |
| 44 | Gazole (SC) | Sanjay Sarkar |
| 45 | Chanchal | Asif Mehbub |
| 46 | Harischandrapur | Mostaque Alam |
| 47 | Malatipur | Mausam Noor |
| 48 | Ratua | Mottakin Alam |
| 49 | Manikchak | Md. Ansarul Hoque |
| 50 | Maldaha (SC) | Bhupendra Nath Haldar (Arjun) |
| 51 | English Bazar | Masud Alam |
| 52 | Mothabari | Sayem Chowdhury |
| 53 | Sujapur | Md Abdul Hannan |
| 54 | Baisnabnagar | Mamuni Mandal |
| 56 | Samserganj | Nazme Alam |
| 57 | Suti | Alfazuddin Biswas |
| 58 | Jangipur | Mohammad Imran Ali |
| 59 | Raghunathganj | Nasir Saikh |
| 61 | Lalgola | Md. Touhidur Rahaman |
| 62 | Bhagawangola | Anju Begum |
| 63 | Raninagar | Zulfikur Ali |
| 64 | Murshidabad | Siddiqi Ali |
| 65 | Nabagram (SC) | Hiru Haldar |
| 66 | Khargram (SC) | Dr. Mandar Kanti Mandal |
| 67 | Burwan (SC) | Sujit Das |
| 68 | Kandi | Dr. Shamim Rana |
| 69 | Bharatpur | Azharudddin Sizar |
| 70 | Rejinagar | Jillu Sk. |
| 72 | Baharampur | Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury |
| 73 | Hariharpara | Mousumi Begum |
| 76 | Jalangi | Abdul Rezzak Molla |
| 77 | Karimpur | Pooja Roy Chowdhury |
| 78 | Tehatta | Jyotirmoy Sarkar |
| 79 | Palashipara | Hamidul Haque |
| 80 | Kaliganj | Kabil Uddin Shaikh |
With the 2026 election approaching, political observers believe the battle will once again be intense, with the TMC defending its stronghold and the BJP attempting to expand its influence. Meanwhile, the Congress hopes that an early announcement of candidates and renewed grassroots outreach will help it regain relevance in Bengal’s complex political landscape.
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