<p>The Bhabanipur Assembly constituency has become the hot seat of West Bengal politics as the crucial by-election there will decide whether Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee will continue as Chief Minister.</p>.<p>Around 40 per cent of the population in the constituency is non-Bengali, comprising Marwaris, Sikhs, Gujaratis and Biharis. It has a Muslim population of about 20 per cent and the remaining 40 per cent are Bengalis. Contrary to the general perception that non-Bengali voters in the state usually favour the BJP, TMC has been winning convincingly in Bhabanipur.</p>.<p>With the exception of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP led in two wards of the constituency and the TMC’s margin was reduced to 3,168 votes, the TMC gained thumping victories at Bhabanipur in the past. The by-election will be held on September 30.</p>.<p>The constituency is literally Mamata’s home ground where she grew up and cut her teeth into politics. However, following her defeat by a narrow margin in Nandigram against the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, she has been more cautious this time.</p>.<p>Keeping in mind large number of non-Bengali voters in Bhabanipur, this time Mamata has steered clear of the insider-outsider debate which she frequently mentioned during the Assembly election.</p>.<p>Senior TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhay won the seat with a margin of about 29,000 votes in Bhabanipur in the last Assembly election. He resigned later paving the way for Mamata to contest the by-poll.</p>.<p>Mamata won with 77.46 per cent votes in Bhabanipur in by-poll following the 2011 Assembly election when the TMC came to power in Bengal for the first time. She retained the seat with 47.67 per cent votes in the 2016 Assembly elections.</p>.<p>“The ruling party generally has an advantage in by-elections. Moreover, voters of Bhabanipur have always supported Mamata. We are confident of her victory,” said TMC MP Sougata Roy.</p>.<p>Refuting the claim, BJP MP Arjun Singh said, “She is a Chief Minister but is putting all her might and deploying her ministers just to win a by-poll. This shows she has lost confidence,” he said.</p>.<p>BJP has fielded Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Tibrewal from Bhabanipur who is yet to see any major success in electoral politics.</p>.<p>While a section of voters is nonchalant about the by-poll, another section including non-Bengalis praised the TMC government’s social welfare schemes. “The Duare Sarkar (government at your doorstep) is very popular here. I think it will reflect in the election also,” said a local shopkeeper requesting not to be named.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
<p>The Bhabanipur Assembly constituency has become the hot seat of West Bengal politics as the crucial by-election there will decide whether Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee will continue as Chief Minister.</p>.<p>Around 40 per cent of the population in the constituency is non-Bengali, comprising Marwaris, Sikhs, Gujaratis and Biharis. It has a Muslim population of about 20 per cent and the remaining 40 per cent are Bengalis. Contrary to the general perception that non-Bengali voters in the state usually favour the BJP, TMC has been winning convincingly in Bhabanipur.</p>.<p>With the exception of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP led in two wards of the constituency and the TMC’s margin was reduced to 3,168 votes, the TMC gained thumping victories at Bhabanipur in the past. The by-election will be held on September 30.</p>.<p>The constituency is literally Mamata’s home ground where she grew up and cut her teeth into politics. However, following her defeat by a narrow margin in Nandigram against the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, she has been more cautious this time.</p>.<p>Keeping in mind large number of non-Bengali voters in Bhabanipur, this time Mamata has steered clear of the insider-outsider debate which she frequently mentioned during the Assembly election.</p>.<p>Senior TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhay won the seat with a margin of about 29,000 votes in Bhabanipur in the last Assembly election. He resigned later paving the way for Mamata to contest the by-poll.</p>.<p>Mamata won with 77.46 per cent votes in Bhabanipur in by-poll following the 2011 Assembly election when the TMC came to power in Bengal for the first time. She retained the seat with 47.67 per cent votes in the 2016 Assembly elections.</p>.<p>“The ruling party generally has an advantage in by-elections. Moreover, voters of Bhabanipur have always supported Mamata. We are confident of her victory,” said TMC MP Sougata Roy.</p>.<p>Refuting the claim, BJP MP Arjun Singh said, “She is a Chief Minister but is putting all her might and deploying her ministers just to win a by-poll. This shows she has lost confidence,” he said.</p>.<p>BJP has fielded Yuva Morcha leader Priyanka Tibrewal from Bhabanipur who is yet to see any major success in electoral politics.</p>.<p>While a section of voters is nonchalant about the by-poll, another section including non-Bengalis praised the TMC government’s social welfare schemes. “The Duare Sarkar (government at your doorstep) is very popular here. I think it will reflect in the election also,” said a local shopkeeper requesting not to be named.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
