KOLKATA: The political spotlight ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections has firmly shifted to North Bengal, where both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are engaged in an intense battle for dominance across 54 crucial Assembly seats spread over eight districts. For the BJP, the region is not just another electoral zone—it is central to its ambition of forming a government in the state.
Encompassing districts such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda, North Bengal reflects a distinctive blend of geography, demographics, and political complexities. Stretching from the hill regions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong to the plains of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, along with the politically significant belts of Malda and the Dinajpurs, the region commands a substantial number of Assembly seats and has, in recent years, evolved into a strong support base for the BJP.
The BJP has outlined an ambitious goal of securing 45 out of these 54 seats, a notable jump from its 2021 performance where it won 30 seats. Party leaders are of the view that recreating their 2019 Lok Sabha success when they clinched seven of the eight parliamentary constituencies in North Bengal and led in a majority of Assembly segments will be crucial in challenging and potentially overcoming the TMC’s dominance across the state.
In pursuit of this objective, the BJP has crafted a carefully tailored, region-specific strategy. Its blueprint for 2026 blends promises of infrastructure development, targeted ethnic outreach, and organizational restructuring. Major announcements such as establishing premier institutions like AIIMS, IIM, IIT, along with a 500-bed cancer hospital in North Bengal, are being projected as long-awaited developmental interventions. At the same time, the party is stepping up its engagement with key communities including the Rajbongshis, Gorkhas, and Adivasis—groups that have historically voiced strong regional and cultural aspirations.
Among its key commitments are assurances of constitutional recognition for local languages and securing land ownership rights for tea garden workers. Organizationally, the BJP has undertaken a restructuring exercise by dividing West Bengal into six political zones, assigning North Bengal a dedicated command overseen by experienced strategists. Several changes at the district leadership level have also been introduced to bolster grassroots mobilization and organisational efficiency.
The BJP’s campaign messaging is strongly anchored in anti-incumbency, with consistent allegations of neglect directed at the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government. Party leaders frequently point to perceived imbalances in state expenditure, contrasting allocations in certain sectors with what they describe as inadequate focus on infrastructure and development in North Bengal.
Despite its aggressive push, the BJP faces a number of challenges. The question of statehood continues to present a complex dilemma. While some leaders within the region advocate for a separate state or Union Territory to tap into local sentiments, the central leadership has consciously distanced itself from such demands to avoid triggering a backlash in South Bengal. Furthermore, there is visible discontent among sections of the Gorkha and Rajbongshi communities over the absence of a “Permanent Political Solution,” raising concerns about potential voter dissatisfaction.
On the other side, the TMC has sensed an opening and has significantly intensified its outreach efforts in North Bengal, particularly after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP’s tally in the region declined marginally from seven to six seats. The ruling party is now focusing on consolidating its support base among women and youth voters while working to reclaim lost political ground. Historically, the TMC has demonstrated considerable strength in the region, winning 25 seats in 2016 and delivering a strong performance earlier in 2011 when, in alliance with the Congress, it secured 33 seats.
Meanwhile, the Congress party is concentrating its efforts on the districts of Malda, North Dinajpur, and South Dinajpur, which together account for 27 Assembly constituencies. The party is striving to retain its traditional influence in these pockets, even as the BJP looks to benefit from a possible division of minority votes to improve its prospects in several seats.
Electoral trends highlight the fluid and unpredictable nature of North Bengal politics. In 2016, the TMC held a clear advantage, but by 2019, the BJP had made significant inroads, leading in 37 Assembly segments. This momentum continued into the 2021 Assembly elections, where the BJP secured 30 seats compared to the TMC’s 24, establishing itself as a major political force in the region.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, although the BJP maintained its edge by winning six of the eight seats, it lost Cooch Behar to the TMC, underlining the highly competitive and shifting nature of the political landscape.
For the BJP, North Bengal continues to represent the most viable pathway to capturing power in West Bengal. For the TMC, regaining dominance in this region is essential to blunting the BJP’s rise and reinforcing its statewide control. As both parties intensify their strategies, sharpen their messaging, and ramp up mobilisation efforts, North Bengal is poised to play a decisive and defining role in determining the political outcome of the 2026 Assembly elections.
