Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas is set to contest for a fifth consecutive term from the Tollygunj Assembly constituency in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, setting the stage for a closely watched triangular battle.
The Tollygunj seat, a stronghold of Biswas since 2006, is witnessing intensified political competition this time with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) fielding strong candidates. The BJP has nominated actor-turned-politician Papiya Adhikari, while CPI(M) has put forward Partha Pratim Biswas, making the contest highly competitive.
Biswas, who has represented the constituency for four consecutive terms, is one of the senior faces of the TMC in South Kolkata politics. He has previously served as a key minister in the state government and has maintained a strong organisational presence in the region.
According to election data and past results, Biswas has consistently retained the seat since 2006, though margins have varied over the years. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he secured a comfortable victory against BJP’s Babul Supriyo, further strengthening his position in the constituency.
However, this time the political equation appears more complex. Local issues such as employment concerns, voter list revisions, and anti-incumbency sentiments are being highlighted by the opposition. Reports also suggest that the BJP is banking on celebrity appeal and campaign visibility to challenge the TMC’s long-standing dominance in the area.
Political observers say the triangular contest could split opposition votes, but also test the durability of Biswas’s support base built over nearly two decades. The CPI(M), meanwhile, is attempting to regain lost ground in urban Kolkata constituencies through focused grassroots mobilisation.
The Tollygunj constituency has traditionally seen close electoral battles, but Biswas has managed to maintain an edge through organisational strength and local connect. His fifth-term bid is now being viewed as a key test of both personal popularity and the TMC’s continued influence in South Kolkata.
With campaigning expected to intensify in the coming weeks, Tollygunj has emerged as one of the important seats to watch in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
