In the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, Labsen Baskey of the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a decisive victory in the Bandwan Assembly Constituency (No. 238). He defeated the Trinamool Congress candidate, Rajib Lochan Saren, by a substantial margin of 29,577 votes. Baskey polled 1,34,080 votes after all 20 rounds of counting, while Saren managed 1,04,503 votes.
Constituency Profile
Bandwan (ST) Assembly Constituency No. 238 is situated in the Puruliya district of South Bengal, in the far southwestern part of the state bordering Jharkhand. It is part of the Jangalmahal fringe and covers the Bandwan community development block within the Bandwan sub-division. The region is characterized by rocky laterite uplands, minor rivers, and dense sal forests.
Demographics and Economy
The constituency has over 272,000 electors, predominantly from Scheduled Tribe communities such as Santhal, Bhumij, and Munda. The local economy is based on subsistence farming, supplemented by forest produce and daily labor. Key voter concerns include forest land rights under the Forest Rights Act, delivery of tribal welfare schemes, MGNREGA wages, road and electricity access in remote hamlets, healthcare facilities, and persistent outmigration due to limited livelihood opportunities.
Political Landscape
Bandwan is a sensitive constituency in the Jangalmahal belt, which historically had Maoist influence, though this has diminished in recent years. The contest is typically bipolar between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, with the Left also playing a role. Tribal identity and the delivery of welfare schemes are decisive factors. The voter turnout in this election was high at 87.3 percent. The constituency falls under the Purulia Lok Sabha seat.
Previous Election Results
In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress candidate Rajib Lochan Saren, who belongs to the Scheduled Tribe community, won the seat by a margin of 18,831 votes, securing approximately 7.9 percent of the total 238,101 votes. He defeated the BJP candidate decisively. The TMC had held Bandwan comfortably, reflecting successful outreach through tribal welfare schemes. The constituency is strategically important as one of the TMC's tribal strongholds in Puruliya district, anchoring the ST community support base in the Purulia Lok Sabha cluster.
Election Context
The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections saw high stakes across the state. The BJP's victory in Bandwan marks a significant shift in this tribal-dominated constituency, which was previously a TMC stronghold. The results reflect changing voter preferences, likely influenced by issues such as forest land rights, welfare delivery, and local development. The high turnout indicates strong engagement from the electorate.
This article covers the latest election results 2026, including live updates, winner lists, constituency-wise results, party-wise trends, and full coverage for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry elections.
