In West Bengal's Alipurduars constituency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Paritosh Das emerged victorious, defeating Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Suman Kanjilal by a substantial margin of 70,420 votes. According to the Election Commission, Das secured 1,43,242 votes, while Kanjilal garnered 72,822 votes. The constituency, which is a general (unreserved) seat located in the Alipurduar district, witnessed a keen contest among key political players.
Candidate Profiles and Previous Results
The 2026 elections in Alipurduars featured Suman Kanjilal of the TMC, Paritosh Das of the BJP, and Mrinmoy Sarkar (Papan) of the Congress. In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, Suman Kanjilal, then representing the BJP, won the seat by defeating TMC's Sourav Chakraborty with a margin of approximately 16,007 votes. Kanjilal had secured over 1,07,000 votes at that time. The 2026 result marks a shift, with the BJP retaining the seat under a different candidate.
Constituency Details and Key Issues
Alipurduars constituency encompasses the Alipurduar municipality, the railway junction, and several gram panchayats. It lies close to the Bhutan border and features a mix of urban and rural populations engaged in trade, services, agriculture, and informal economic activities. Key issues for voters include infrastructure improvement, with demands for better roads, reliable public transport, improved drainage, and stable electricity supply. Residents also emphasize the need for enhanced healthcare services and quality educational facilities. Many residents travel outside the constituency to access specialized medical care or higher education.
Voting and Turnout
The constituency went to polls on April 23 as part of Phase 1 of the West Bengal elections. Alipurduar district recorded a voter turnout of 93.2%, reflecting high civic engagement. The victory margin of over 70,000 votes underscores the BJP's strong performance in this border constituency.
