West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday filed her nomination from the Bhabanipur assembly constituency as the candidate of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The filing was accompanied by a public show of support, as she led a short roadshow from her residence in Kalighat to the Alipore Survey Building.
Walking nearly 800 metres, Banerjee greeted supporters standing along the route with folded hands. Party workers raised slogans in her favour throughout the procession. After completing the nomination process, Banerjee reflected on her personal connection to the constituency.
"I was born and brought up here in Bhabanipur only. Everything in my life began from here," Banerjee told reporters.
Beyond the Bhabanipur contest, she appealed to voters across the state to back her party.
"I would appeal to the people, not just in Bhabanipur but across all 294 seats, to ensure the victory of our candidates. We will win with a bigger mandate," she said.
The TMC had secured a strong victory in the 2021 assembly elections, winning 213 seats in the state.
Banerjee also raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls, claiming that several names had been removed.
"I am really pained that so many names have been deleted from the electoral rolls. I fail to understand why the voter lists have been frozen. We will again move a court against it," Banerjee added.
Mamata Banerjee vs Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur
The high-profile Bhabanipur contest is expected to see Banerjee face Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. Several party members and family members accompanied her during the nomination process.
The TMC described the roadshow as a reflection of Bhabanipur’s diverse social fabric. The constituency is home to people from various communities, including Gujarati traders, Bengali families, Punjabi households and Muslim residents. Party leaders presented it as a symbol of unity and inclusiveness in West Bengal.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
