Basirhat Uttar Assembly Election Results 2026

The constituency was established in 2011 following the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission, which split the erstwhile Basirhat Assembly seat into Basirhat Uttar and Basirhat Dakshin. The original Basirhat seat had existed from 1951 to 2006. Since its inception, Basirhat Uttar has seen four elections, including a by-election in 2011 triggered by the untimely and mysterious death of CPI(M)’s Mostafa Bin Qaseem, who had won the seat earlier that year. The CPI(M) and the Trinamool Congress have alternately won the seat twice each. TMC’s ATM Abdullah secured victory in the 2011 bypoll.

Rafikul Islam Mondal, the sitting MLA, has won the seat twice. His first victory came in 2016 as a CPI(M) candidate, when he edged past his rival by a narrow margin of 492 votes. His switch to the Trinamool Congress proved politically rewarding, as he won the 2021 election with a commanding margin of 89,351 votes. His closest rival, Mohd. Baijid Amin of the Rashtriya Secular Majlis Party, backed by the Left Front-Congress alliance, finished second. The BJP’s Narayan Chandra Mondal came a close third, trailing Amin by just 360 votes.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC led in the Basirhat Uttar segment by a margin of 82,955 votes over the BJP. This was nearly identical to its lead in the 2019 parliamentary polls, which stood at 82,756 votes, indicating a stable voter base for the ruling party.

Basirhat Uttar had 238,670 registered voters in the 2016 Assembly elections, which rose to 268,034 by 2021. Muslims form a dominant share of the electorate, accounting for approximately 62.70 percent, while Scheduled Caste voters make up around 12.18 percent. The constituency is largely rural, with 82.4 percent of voters residing in villages and the remaining 17.6 percent in semi-urban pockets. Voter turnout has consistently been high, recorded at 89.66 percent in 2016 and 88.95 percent in 2021.

Historically, Basirhat has been part of the Bengal frontier during colonial times and has long been associated with agrarian movements and borderland politics. The terrain is flat and low-lying, interlaced with rivers like the Ichamati and its distributaries. Seasonal flooding during the monsoon continues to pose challenges to agriculture and infrastructure.

Agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy, with paddy, jute, and vegetables being the primary crops. Fishing is also a major livelihood, especially in river-adjacent areas. Industrial activity is minimal, with small-scale units and cottage industries scattered across the constituency. Migration to Kolkata and nearby towns for employment is common, particularly among the youth.

Basirhat town, the nearest urban centre, is located about 10 km from most parts of the constituency. The state capital, Kolkata, lies approximately 65 km away and is accessible by both road and rail. Other nearby towns include Taki at a distance of 20 km, Hasnabad at 15 km, and Bongaon at 40 km. Across the Ichamati River lies the Bangladesh border, with towns like Debhata and Swarupnagar in close proximity, adding a layer of geopolitical sensitivity to the region.

With the Trinamool Congress consolidating its hold and the BJP emerging as a formidable challenger, Basirhat Uttar is expected to witness a high-stakes contest in 2026. The CPI(M), once dominant, has faded into the background, while Congress remains a marginal force. The outcome will likely depend on how parties address pressing issues such as flood control, employment, and rural infrastructure. Given the demographic composition, the BJP may need to field a strong Muslim candidate to mount a serious challenge. If it continues to nominate a Hindu candidate, as it did in 2016, its prospects may hinge on a split in the Muslim vote, something that could only materialise through a revival of the Left Front.

(Ajay Jha)