Mamata Banerjee files nomination from Bhabanipur; sets stage for high-stakes contest

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee filed her nomination for the high-stakes Bhabanipur constituency on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) morning. The Trinamool Congress chairperson is seeking a fourth term against a formidable challenge from the Opposition. 

She has won from the Bhabanipur seat for the past three consecutive terms, starting in 2011 when her party had a historic win, which ended the 34-year-old Left rule in West Bengal. 

With outpouring party workers on both sides of the roads, Ms. Banerjee walked to the Alipur Survey building from her house in Kolkata. She was accompanied by the Kolkata Corporation Mayor and her close confidant Firhad Hakim. 

“I am doing this with a heavy heart, so many people have been removed from the final voter list. What is the point of adding names later? The Supreme Court had said that all legitimate voters would get a chance to appeal before tribunals. We will go again and seek justice once more,” the Trinamool Congress chairperson said after she officially filed her nomination. This came as a response to the 27 lakh under adjudication voters being deleted from the final voter list on Tuesday (April 7, 2026). 

Ms Banerjee also said that she has been in Bhabanipur since her childhood and that the constituency has been central to her life, while expressing her gratitude and greetings to its residents. She urged the people of Bengal to vote for the TMC candidates in all 294 seats, asserting that the party would form the government after the elections are over. 

The Bhabanipur constituency has become the hot seat in the upcoming Assembly elections as the Leader of Opposition, and Bharatiya Janata Party heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari is also contesting from the same seat. Once a close aide of the CM during his time at the TMC, Mr Adhikari is now eyeing to defeat her at her home constituency as an opposition candidate. 

The Home Minister himself had rallied for Mr. Adhikari when he went to file his nomination for the Bhabanipur seat last week. A stand-off unfolded near the CM’s residence as TMC and BJP workers faced off, triggering tensions and prompting police intervention to restore order. 

In 2021, Ms. Banerjee contested against the LoP from Nandigram and lost by just 1,956 votes. However, she was reelected from the Bhabanipur seat on a bypoll by a record margin of 58,832 votes. 

While on campaign Mr. Adhikari has on multiple occasions stated that he will now defeat Ms. Mamata from her home constituency, as he did in Nandigram in the last term. Meanwhile, Ms. Banerjee has stayed confident about her candidature and has said that she will win from Bhabanipur even if one voter is left.