Matigara Naxalbari Assembly Election Results 2026

Though relatively new, Matigara-Naxalbari has seen three elections so far. The Congress party won the inaugural contest in 2011, with Sankar Malakar defeating CPI(M)’s Jharen Roy. Malakar retained the seat in 2016, beating TMC’s Amar Sinha. However, the 2021 elections marked a significant shift when BJP’s Anandamoy Barman defeated TMC’s Rajen Sundas by a massive margin of 70,848 votes. Barman secured 139,785 votes (58.10 per cent), while Sundas polled 68,937 votes (28.65 per cent). Congress, once dominant, slipped to third place with just 9.58 per cent (23,060) of the vote.

The constituency had 265,735 registered voters in 2021, with a turnout of 83.65 per cent. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the number of voters in this Assembly segment rose to 296,214. BJP led in this segment during the parliamentary polls, continuing its dominance from the 2021 Assembly elections. According to estimates from 2021, Scheduled Castes make up 84,211 (31.69 per cent) of the electorate, Scheduled Tribes 43,155 (16.24 per cent), and Muslims approximately 15,413 (5.8 per cent). The electorate is largely rural, accounting for approximately 170,575 ( 64.19 per cent), and urban voters constitute 95,160 (35.81 per cent) of the voters. 

Matigara-Naxalbari holds historical significance as the birthplace of the Naxalite movement, which began in 1967 in the village of Naxalbari. The uprising, led by radical communists, aimed to spark a peasant revolution and left a lasting imprint on Indian politics. Though the movement has long since faded from the region, its legacy remains part of the local memory.

The terrain here is a mix of fertile plains and forested hills. The Teesta River flows nearby, and the area is known for its tea gardens, including those in Naxalbari and Matigara. Agriculture remains the mainstay, with paddy, maize and vegetables as the primary crops. Tea cultivation and small-scale trading also contribute to the local economy. Siliguri, a major commercial hub, lies just 10 km from Matigara and serves as the gateway to the Northeast and the Himalayan region. Darjeeling town is about 65 km uphill from Matigara, accessible via NH-55 and the scenic Hill Cart Road.

Matigara-Naxalbari is around 600 km from Kolkata. Bagdogra Airport, located within the constituency, connects the region to major Indian cities. The Indo-Nepal border is just a short drive away, with Kakarbhitta in Nepal serving as a key transit point for trade and travel.

With the BJP holding the seat and having made deep inroads in the region, the party is likely to approach the 2026 Assembly elections with confidence. TMC, on the other hand, may need to rethink its strategy, especially if Congress and the Left Front attempt to revive their presence and split the anti-BJP vote. The contest here could depend on voter turnout, caste arithmetic and the broader political mood in the Darjeeling foothills.

(Ajay Jha)