West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 | Fall, regroup and return: Poll turns into season of political comebacks

From sidelined leaders scarred by corruption probes to those returning to electoral politics after decades, the poll battlefield is dotted with figures seeking relevance once again.

Kolkata: West Bengal's 2026 assembly election is shaping up not only as a high-stakes battle between the ruling TMC and the BJP but also as a dramatic stage for political comebacks, with several leaders seeking redemption after years of defeats, scandals, exile or organisational marginalisation.

In a state that still celebrates Sourav Ganguly's return to the Indian cricket team in 2006 after being dropped, as a symbol of resilience, the political arena too seems to be witnessing a season of second innings of leaders across parties.

From sidelined party veterans and leaders scarred by corruption probes to those returning to electoral politics after decades, the poll battlefield is dotted with figures seeking relevance once again.

For the BJP, the return of Dilip Ghosh to the electoral fray from Kharagpur Sadar, where his electoral career began in 2016, symbolises the most visible attempt at political resurgence.

A former RSS pracharak known for his blunt rhetoric and grassroots style, Ghosh once presided over the BJP's most dramatic expansion in West Bengal, steering the party to an unprecedented 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 and transforming it from a marginal force into the principal challenger to the TMC.

Yet, after the BJP's organisational equations shifted, Ghosh appeared to drift into a curious limbo within the party. His defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Bardhaman–Durgapur and criticism of internal decisions exposed factions within the state unit.

For months, the once-dominant state president seemed absent from the BJP's public choreography. But insiders say his reappearance in key meetings with central leaders signalled a recalibration.

"In politics, patience is everything. Those who wait long enough often get another chance to fight," Ghosh said.

Within the BJP, another figure attempting to emerge from political obscurity is veteran leader Ritesh Tiwari.

Suspended in 2022 for alleged anti-party activities, Tiwari spent nearly three years in organisational exile. His suspension was revoked months ago as the party sought to bring back experienced leaders ahead of the assembly battle.

Fielded from Kashipur-Belgachia, Tiwari represents the BJP's effort to reactivate its old guard after years of factional churn.

The ruling TMC too has several redemption arcs of its own.

Perhaps the most striking among them is that of Kunal Ghosh. Once a Rajya Sabha MP and close confidant of Mamata Banerjee, Ghosh's career collapsed after his arrest in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam in 2013. While in jail, he publicly criticised the party leadership, an act that appeared to seal his political fate.

Yet politics in Bengal often allows unexpected reversals.

After rebuilding his proximity to the party, Ghosh returned to the TMC as a spokesperson in 2020 and has since become one of its most visible public defenders. His nomination from Beleghata now marks a comeback to parliamentary politics after more than a decade.

"In politics, setbacks are not the end of the road. If you stay connected with people and keep fighting, you get another chance to prove yourself," he said.

Another comeback attempt comes from Rajib Banerjee, the ex-irrigation minister who defected to the BJP ahead of the 2021 assembly polls and returned to the TMC months later after losing from Domjur.

Since his return, he had remained largely on the fringes of the party's organisational structure. Now fielded from Debra, far from his political base in Howrah, he faces the task of rebuilding credibility while uniting a faction-ridden local organisation.

For senior TMC leader Jyoti Priya Mallick, popularly known as 'Balu', the election represents something even more personal, a quest for vindication.

Once among the party's most powerful leaders in North 24 Parganas, Mallick spent over a year in jail following an Enforcement Directorate probe into alleged irregularities in the ration distribution system during his tenure as food minister.

Out on bail, Mallick, once a trusted aide of party supremo Mamata Banerjee, is now contesting from Habra. "My victory will be the answer to those who tried to finish me politically," he said.

Outside the two principal rivals, comeback stories abound.

Veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has decided to return to state politics after nearly three decades, likely to contest from Baharampur. Once the Congress' most formidable face in Bengal and a five-time MP, he suffered a defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

For the 70-year-old leader, the assembly election is both a personal comeback and an attempt to revive the party in its strongholds in central Bengal.

Meanwhile, in the volatile politics of Bhangar and its surrounding areas, ex-TMC strongman Arabul Islam is attempting to reclaim relevance under the ISF banner. Once a powerful local leader, Arabul had often been in the headlines for clashes and controversies. Fielded from Canning Purba by the ISF, his candidacy underscores how regional players are also seeking to re-enter the political arena.

"Bengal's political culture has a deep fascination with fighters who fall, regroup and return. Voters here often view resilience as a political virtue, sometimes even more than ideological consistency," a senior TMC leader said.

Political analyst Suman Bhattacharya believes that parties need seasoned leaders who can fight and win. "Elections require leaders who have weathered defeats, understand ground realities and know how to hold the organisation together when the contest gets tough," he said.