In West Bengal's Sitalkuchi constituency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Savitri Barman secured a decisive victory over Trinamool Congress (TMC) rival Harihar Das by a margin of 25,278 votes in the 2026 assembly elections. Barman garnered 1,44,367 votes, while Das received 1,19,089 votes, as per the final tally.
Constituency Profile
Sitalkuchi is a Scheduled Caste-reserved constituency located in the Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. Situated in the northern part of the state near the India-Bangladesh border, it has a predominantly rural character. Agriculture, small-scale trade, and border-linked economic activities form the backbone of the local economy. Key issues include irrigation facilities, crop prices, flood protection, and infrastructure gaps such as rural roads, drainage, and reliable electricity supply.
2026 Candidates
The main contenders in the 2026 elections were Harihar Das of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Savitri Barman of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Sukamal Barman of the Indian National Congress. The election was held on April 23 as part of Phase 1, with Cooch Behar district recording a voter turnout of 96.2%, the highest among all districts in that phase.
Historical Context
In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Sitalkuchi seat was won by Baren Chandra Barman of the BJP, who defeated his nearest TMC rival by a margin of 16,394 votes. That outcome reflected a consolidation of support for the BJP in parts of north Bengal, though the margin also indicated a competitive political environment. The constituency drew statewide attention in 2021 due to sensitive law-and-order developments during polling.
The 2026 result reinforces the BJP's hold on this seat, with an increased margin compared to the previous election. The TMC's Harihar Das, despite a strong showing, could not bridge the gap. The Congress candidate finished a distant third, failing to make a significant impact.
This victory is part of a broader electoral trend in West Bengal, where the BJP has been making inroads in traditional TMC strongholds, particularly in the northern districts. The outcome in Sitalkuchi underscores the competitive nature of the state's politics and the importance of local issues in shaping voter preferences.
