Monteswar Polls: TMC's Siddiqullah Chowdhury faces BJP's Saikat Paja

In Monteswar, TMC minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury faces BJP's Saikat Paja. Locals allege lack of development, bad roads, and water issues, while internal TMC feuds may benefit the BJP. Rural and minority votes remain key to the outcome.

Polling in the Monteswar assembly seat in East Burdwan district is going to be held in the second phase of the West Bengal assembly polls. During the election season, politicians make a slew of promises, including jobs and roads. This is the question that is now circulating throughout the Monteshwar assembly constituency. Assembly polls are being held in West Bengal in two phases- April 23 and April 29, with counting of votes on May 4.

Key Candidates and Internal Rifts

The ruling TMC has once again fielded sitting MLA and Minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury as its candidate from the constituency, who will be up against the BJP's Saikat Paja, while Congress has fielded Jyotirmoy Mandal. CPIM has fielded. Anupam Ghosh. In this assembly, the picture of the minister's alleged factional feud with the local Trinamool president of the Panchayat Samiti, Ahmed Hossain, has come to the fore, giving the BJP an upper hand.

Local Grievances and Development Questions

However, several questions are being raised around Siddiqullah Chowdhury. A section of the locals claimed that the development work had not been completed in the last five years. It is alleged that the condition of several roads in various rural areas of Monteshwar is still very bad. Residents said that movement becomes almost impossible during the rainy season. There is also anger over the alleged lack of drinking water, and in many areas, waterlogging has remained an issue due to a poor drainage system.

Since Siddiqullah Chowdhury is a minister in the state, the opposition is asking whether he has been able to give enough time to his assembly constituency? Or is he too busy with his ministerial duties? Now, Siddiqullah Chowdhury has presented his work record in this assembly and assured greater development in the coming days.

Electoral Demographics and Voting Patterns

In the politically significant constituency of East Burdwan district, voting patterns are largely influenced by rural and minority vote banks, making these segments crucial for electoral outcomes. The constituency has approximately 1.9 to 2.1 lakh total voters, with minority votes playing a notable and often decisive role.

2021 Election Results and Trends

In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress candidate Siddiqullah Chowdhury secured a victory with over 95,000 votes, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate polled more than 70,000 votes. The Left-Congress alliance managed between 10,000 and 15,000 votes, resulting in a margin of victory of around 25,000 votes in favour of Trinamool Congress.

A comparative trend from 2016 to 2021 shows that while Trinamool Congress maintained a strong hold on the seat in 2016, the 2021 polls witnessed a significant surge in the BJP's vote share, even as Trinamool Congress retained the constituency. The voting equation in this key constituency of East Burdwan district largely revolves around rural and minority vote banks, which continue to form the core strength of Trinamool Congress. A significant consolidation of rural votes, combined with strong support from minority communities, has remained the primary backbone of Trinamool's electoral dominance in the seat. However, a notable shift has been observed in recent years, with a portion of Hindu votes gradually moving towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). At the same time, the combined vote share of the Left and Congress has witnessed a sharp decline

Chowdhury's Campaign Promises

Although Siddiqullah Chowdhury claimed that more infrastructure projects will be on the cards if he gets another chance. "If the people give us another chance, then bigger development projects will be implemented in the future."

"This time, the people of Monteshwar and Memari will make us win by a greater margin than last time. The response of the people is very positive, and we are expecting unprecedented results."

West Bengal Assembly Elections: 2021 vs 2016

West Bengal has a total of 294 Assembly seats, with the majority mark set at 148. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) secured a decisive victory, winning 213 seats with a vote share of 48.5 per cent. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the main opposition, winning 77 seats with a vote share of 38.5 per cent. Smaller players, including RSPMA and Independent candidates, won one seat each. The total declared seats stood at 292.

In comparison, the 2016 Assembly elections also saw AITC dominate, winning 211 seats with a 45.6 per cent vote share. The Indian National Congress secured 44 seats with 12.4 per cent votes, while the CPI(M) won 26 seats with a 20.1 per cent vote share. Other parties, including the BIP and RCP, won three seats each, while Independents secured one seat. The 'Others' category accounted for six seats with a 7.7 per cent vote share. (ANI)

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