New Delhi, March 23 (NationPress) The Bhabanipur Vidhan Sabha constituency in South Kolkata is gearing up for a highly competitive showdown between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Despite projecting confidence, the Trinamool Congress is proceeding with caution.

In the previous Assembly elections of 2021, Mamata faced a setback against her former associate Adhikari in Nandigram, losing by nearly 2,000 votes. Subsequently, she aimed for re-election from Bhabanipur to secure her position as Chief Minister for a third consecutive term.

Adhikari, riding high on his prior victory, has requested the BJP leadership to allow him to challenge Mamata once more, this time in her stronghold. The party consented, although he was also instructed to file a nomination from Nandigram.

During the 2021 by-election, Mamata triumphed in Bhabanipur with a notable margin of approximately 59,000 votes, boosting her party's vote share by over 14 percent compared to Sovandeb Chatterjee, who had garnered 58 percent previously.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Trinamool’s Mala Roy clinched the Kolkata Dakshin seat, leading across all Assembly segments, including Bhabanipur, where she was ahead by around 6,500 votes. However, the BJP managed to lead in five of Bhabanipur’s wards.

The state leadership of Trinamool has been assigned the task of connecting with voters at the grassroots level ahead of the April elections.

Key figures such as state president Subrata Bakshi, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, South Kolkata district president Debashis Kumar, and local councillors are responsible for outreach efforts, emphasizing Mamata’s welfare initiatives as Chief Minister.

The Bhabanipur election is set for the second phase on April 29. The Trinamool plans a month-long campaign kicking off on March 23, alongside Mamata’s statewide rally addresses. Reports indicate she has instructed party members to maintain vigilance on polling day until the counting occurs on May 4, cautioning against potential malpractice.

Trinamool leaders have insinuated that Mamata's defeat in Nandigram was due to a power outage and alleged tampering during the counting process.

This time, she has advised party affiliates to be alert for power disruptions, stressing that attempts to manipulate the electoral outcome could arise later.

Meanwhile, the BJP candidate is relying on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to eliminate suspected fraudulent voters, as well as addressing anti-incumbency concerns linked to law enforcement and corruption.

While Mamata has warned her team against overconfidence, Trinamool General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee has forecasted a vote margin favoring Mamata that will exceed the 2021 by-election results.

The Diamond Harbour MP has urged supporters to ensure a greater turnout at polling stations, with a goal of increasing the victory margin to at least 60,000 votes.