Over the course of 17 Assembly elections, Farakka has witnessed a dynamic political journey. The Congress party won the seat eight times, while the CPI(M) claimed six victories. The initial three elections were won by Congress, followed by two wins by the breakaway Bangla Congress in 1967 and 1969. CPI(M) then took over, winning six consecutive terms from 1971 to 1991. This was followed by a five-term winning streak by Congress. However, the 2021 elections marked a significant shift, with Trinamool Congress’s Manirul Islam defeating BJP’s Hemanta Ghosh by a massive margin of 59,945 votes. Mainul Haque of Congress, who had won five consecutive terms and was backed by the CPI(M), finished a distant third.
The BJP’s rise from the margins began in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when it finished second behind Trinamool Congress, which led in the Farakka segment by 29,221 votes. This lead widened to 40,533 votes in the 2024 parliamentary polls, indicating Trinamool’s growing strength in the region.
Farakka had 227,549 registered voters in 2021, which increased to 236,863 in 2024. Muslims form the majority, accounting for 67.30 per cent of the electorate. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 10.75 per cent and 1.60 per cent, respectively. The constituency is almost evenly split between rural and urban voters, with 58.48 per cent rural and 41.52 per cent urban. Voter turnout has traditionally been high. However, Farakka has been witnessing a gradual decline in voter turnout over the years, slipping from 85.04 per cent in 2016 to 82.12 per cent in 2019 and further to 81.97 per cent in 2021, with the 2024 Lok Sabha polls marking a sharper drop to 76.04 per cent.
Farakka’s identity is closely tied to its barrage and thermal power stations. The Farakka Barrage, built across the Ganga River, is a massive structure stretching 2,304 metres. Commissioned in 1975, it was designed to divert water into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River via a 42-km feeder canal, ensuring navigability for Kolkata Port. The barrage has long been a point of diplomatic contention with Bangladesh, which lies just 18 km away. Farakka is also home to two thermal power stations, Farakka Super Thermal Power Station and Sagardighi Thermal Power Station, both of which contribute significantly to the region’s energy supply and employment.
The terrain of Farakka is shaped by the Ganga and its tributaries, including the Bhagirathi and Bansloi rivers. The land is fertile but prone to erosion and seasonal flooding. The economy is largely agrarian, with paddy, jute and vegetables being the main crops. The presence of the power stations and the barrage has spurred some industrial activity, though most employment remains informal. Infrastructure is relatively developed, with road and rail connectivity linking Farakka to major towns.
Farakka is about 25 km from Jangipur, the subdivision headquarters, and 60 km from Murshidabad, the district headquarters. Kolkata, the state capital, is approximately 290 km away. Nearby towns in Bangladesh include Rajshahi, which is around 50 km from Farakka, while Sahibganj in Jharkhand lies just across the Ganga, about 20 km away.
A unique feature of Farakka is that all seven leaders elected here over 17 elections have belonged to the Muslim community, reflecting the demographic composition of the region. This poses a challenge to the BJP’s further rise in the constituency. Unless there is a significant drop in the number of Muslim voters, which is possibly through a Bihar-style Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll, or the BJP manages to win their confidence, Trinamool Congress will head into the 2026 Assembly elections with a clear edge. The only scenario that could tilt the balance is a strong resurgence of the Congress-Left Front alliance, which could eat into Trinamool’s vote share. If that happens, and the BJP consolidates the non-Muslim vote, Farakka could witness an unexpected outcome. But for now, Trinamool appears to be comfortably placed.
(Ajay Jha)
