How did Suvendu Adhikari defeat Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur? Constituency in-charge Rajendra Rathore reveals

Bharatiya Janata Party's Suvendu Adhikari inflicted a major blow to the Trinamool Congress after defeating Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. Adhikari, the former party mate with Banerjee, defeated the West Bengal CM by a big margin of 15,105 votes as per the results from the Election Commission of India. 

The contest was a topsy-turvy one as both the leaders exchanged leads before Suvendu took a decisive lead in the later rounds of the counting. At the end of the 20 rounds, Suvendu ended with 73917 votes, while Mamata bagged 58812 votes. 

The entire responsibility for this challenging constituency, including election oversight, was entrusted to Rajendra Rathore. He explains that when he began work, "there was an atmosphere of fear in Bhabanipur due to intimidation by TMC goons and pressure from the government. People were unable to express their views freely. The BJP first focused on removing that fear from people’s minds. In this election, Gujarati and Rajasthani (Hindi-speaking) communities came together, leading to a kind of polarisation."

Rathore mentioned that they went door-to-door and lane-to-lane, asking people what the Chief Minister—whose constituency had given the state its leader—had done in their wards in terms of basic infrastructure like roads and drainage. 

Why did Mamata Banerjee lose in her own stronghold?

The BJP worker then revealed, "When people did not see development in their own areas, their opinions began to change. Due to their trust in Prime Minister Modi and the crucial role of the Election Commission, people voted fearlessly." According to Rathore, Suvendu's image of "honesty, straightforwardness, and standing with the poor led to the Chief Minister’s defeat in her own stronghold." When asked about Mamata Banerjee’s allegations of “booth capturing and violence,” Rajendra Rathore dismissed them by referring to the saying, “a frustrated person lashes out blindly.” 

Breaking intimidation through micro-management

Rathore said that "the TMC relied on people stationed in their local clubs to intimidate voters. However, the BJP built a strong structure at the micro level for every booth and 'Shakti Kendra,' breaking the opposition’s monopoly and intimidation, which resulted in a decisive victory." When asked whether West Bengal would get its next Chief Minister from Bhabanipur, Rathore said that politics is a game of possibilities. He added that the leadership would decide, but it reflects the charisma of a strong leader.

Bhabanipur - A key constituency in West Bengal

The constituency has played a crucial role in Bengal's political context over the past decade. In 2021, TMC veteran Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay won the seat after defeating BJP's Rudranil Ghosh by 28,719 votes. He later resigned to enable Mamata to contest the bypoll, which she needed to remain Chief Minister after losing Nandigram to Adhikari in the same year. In the by-election, Mamata secured a decisive win against BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal, with a margin of nearly 60,000 votes. The result reaffirmed Bhabanipur's reputation as a stronghold of the TMC, a position the party has largely held since 2011. 

Anti-incumbency wave at Bhabanipur

The tension at the Bhabanipur counting centre was palpable as the Chief Minister exited the venue. She was met by crowds of BJP supporters chanting "Ghotalabaaz Mamata dur hato" (Corrupt Mamata, go away), signalling a fierce anti-incumbency sentiment after 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule. Earlier in the day, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee termed the BJP's landslide victory in the state polls "immoral" and alleged that the mandate in more than 100 seats was "looted". "We will bounce back," she said while walking out of the counting centre at her Bhabanipur Assembly constituency.