Deep in West Bengal’s flood-ravaged coastal belt, Chandipur assembly seat stands as TMC’s unbreachable bastion—until now. With actor-turned-MLA Soham Chakraborty at the helm, this Purba Medinipur hotspot is scripting a suspenseful saga for the 2026 elections.
The terrain, part of the Indo-Gangetic plains, teems with riverine networks channeling southwards into the Bay of Bengal. Fertile soils support robust agriculture—rice paddies, potato fields, oilseeds, legumes, greens, and betel vines—bolstered by fisheries. Monsoon deluges, however, exact a heavy toll annually.
Subsistence farming dominates, with fish rearing as a key pillar. Basic amenities like power and water have penetrated rural hamlets, yet roads remain unpaved, transport erratic, and banks distant. Tamluk’s rail station, 25-27 km away on the Howrah-Kharagpur route, links to Kolkata; nearby hubs like Haldia and Kanthi feel worlds apart.
Since its 2011 formation within Kanthi Lok Sabha, Chandipur has been TMC territory. Amiya Kanti Bhattacharya’s double triumphs—defeating CPI(M) by wide margins in 2011 and 2016—defined it. BJP’s ascent by 2021, supplanting fading Left forces, forced TMC’s hand: swapping the veteran for Chakraborty’s star wattage.
The gamble triumphed; Chakraborty vanquished BJP’s candidate by over 13,000 votes. But parliamentary by-elections told a different story—from TMC dominance in 2014, to narrowing gaps in 2019, and BJP’s stunning 842-vote supremacy in 2024’s Chandipur tally. This slim victory carries outsized symbolism.
High polling rates—over 86% recently—and balanced social fabric keep voters pivotal. As rhetoric heats up, BJP scents blood from its 2024 momentum. Can TMC defend with cinematic flair, or will 2026 mark the fortress’s fall? Stay tuned for the climax.