The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fired its opening shot for the 2026 Assembly elections by releasing its first candidate list West Bengal today. In a surprise move, the party named senior leader Suvendu Adhikari to contest from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur – two seats deeply tied to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The list includes 144 candidates for West Bengal and 47 names for Kerala, giving the BJP a clear early start in two key battleground states.
Nandigram and Bhabanipur: The High-Stakes Rematch
Suvendu Adhikari’s double entry has instantly grabbed headlines. In 2021, he defeated Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram in one of the most dramatic contests of that election. Banerjee later won Bhabanipur in a bypoll to stay Chief Minister.
By fielding Adhikari from both seats, the BJP is sending a strong message – it wants to challenge the TMC supremo directly where it hurts most. Political watchers say this move could turn these two constituencies into the biggest talking points of the 2026 campaign.
Other Big Names in West Bengal List
The BJP has picked strong candidates for several important seats:
• Deepak Kumar Haldar from Diamond Harbour (TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee territory)
• Agnimitra Paul from Asansol South
• Former state president Dilip Ghosh from Bolpur
These choices show the party is targeting both urban and rural pockets across the state.
BJP’s First List for Kerala Also Out
Just hours before the West Bengal announcement, the BJP released its Kerala list with 47 candidates out of 140 seats. Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been fielded from Nemom – the same seat where he lost the 2024 Lok Sabha poll to Shashi Tharoor.
Though the BJP is yet to win an Assembly seat in Kerala, recent wins in Thrissur Lok Sabha and Thiruvananthapuram municipal polls have boosted its confidence.
Why This Matters Right Now
West Bengal has been ruled by Mamata Banerjee for 14 years. A TMC victory in 2026 would give her a fourth straight term. In Kerala, the ruling Left Democratic Front is fighting to break the state’s usual power-alternation pattern.
With polling dates fixed – Kerala and Assam on April 9, West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29 – both parties are racing to build momentum. The BJP’s early candidate list West Bengal gives it a head start in ticket distribution and campaign planning.
Election Commission Steps Up Security
The Election Commission has already deployed over 5,173 flying squads and 5,200 static surveillance teams across the poll-bound states. Vote counting for all states and bypolls in six other states will happen together on May 4.
What Readers Should Watch
Keep an eye on whether Suvendu Adhikari actually contests both seats or if the BJP uses one as a strategic pressure point. Also track how TMC and Left parties respond in the coming days. These early lists often set the tone for the entire campaign.
The 2026 Assembly polls are shaping up as a fierce fight. The BJP’s bold first move with its candidate list West Bengal has already raised the temperature in both Bengal and Kerala. Stay tuned – the real battle is just beginning.
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