NEW DELHI: Conscious of the challenges that come with 15 years in power, the Trinamool Congress is taking no chances with voter sentiment or anti-incumbency ahead of the May 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The party has begun a measured recalibration aware that a long tenure has created both governance fatigue and a demand for renewal.
A senior TMC insider told The Sunday Guardian that the leadership has moved early to assess ground sentiment, even with the polls still seven months away. The party is taking the issue of anti-incumbency very seriously. Having been in power for 15 years, some degree of it is natural. “We’re not complacent surveys are being conducted and public feedback is being gathered to identify and address issues,” the insider said.
According to the source, the leadership has made it clear that candidate selection will be guided by voter feedback, not hierarchy. Political consultancy I-PAC, which manages the party’s campaign, is also conducting assessments of sitting MLAs. The TMC currently has 225 MLAs in the 294-member Assembly. Sources indicated that tickets will be denied to several incumbents.
“It’s too early to say how many sitting MLAs will be dropped, but yes, tickets will be denied irrespective of seniority. The only criterion will be the MLA’s popularity and record of work among the people,” the insider said, adding that negative ground reports could cost legislators their tickets.
Describing the review as “data-driven and voter-centric,” the insider said it aims to evaluate both performance and perception across constituencies. “Our main criterion will be what voters are saying how popular or unpopular a sitting MLA is. If surveys show an MLA hasn’t worked for the people, he or she won’t get a ticket,” the person added.
At the campaign level, the TMC plans to project both Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee as the faces of its 2026 campaign. “Of course, Abhishek Banerjee will be one of the key faces along with Didi, Mamata Banerjee. The party has already launched its Digital Yodha campaign, and both leaders will lead from the front. They both are the pillars of the party,” the insider said.
