Turnout battle in Bhabanipur, BJP campaign focuses on bringing reluctant voters to booths
Telegraph | 11 April 2026
Trinamool wants to go door-to-door. BJP wants to get voters to step out of their doors and vote on April 29.
In the battle royal of Bhabanipur, the BJP’s big bet is on increasing voter turnout in pockets where it has traditionally performed well, so that it can secure a lead strong enough to offset losses elsewhere.
The BJP’s campaign is focused on motivating people who usually skip voting to turn up at polling stations this time.
“We have a lot of support in the heart of Bhabanipur, in places like Chakraberia, Allenby Road and Bakulbagan. We are now focused on increasing the voting percentage in these areas because most of them will vote for the BJP,” said a party worker who is going door-to-door, urging people to step out and vote.
If they do, cadres are confident they will vote for none other than the BJP.
“Usually, the polling percentage in the wards in Bhabanipur is around 60. If we can take it to 80%, we can have a handsome lead there. This will help us counter Trinamool’s lead in some of the wards that are also part of the Bhabanipur seat,” a BJP leader in the constituency said.
Party workers said they are visiting housing complexes and homes, and asking those who did not vote last time why they stayed away.
If some of them are ailing, party workers are promising assistance with wheelchairs or help on polling day.
Many voters told BJP workers that they voted in the Lok Sabha elections but usually stayed away in Assembly polls.
“We are telling them that the results of the Assembly election impact them more, and they should not skip voting this time,” a local party worker said.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is pitted against her former Trinamool colleague and now leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur. The CPM has fielded Srijib Biswas.
Suvendu has already visited Bhabanipur seven times since the BJP announced his candidature. Mamata is yet to campaign in Bhabanipur.
Both are also travelling across the state as senior leaders and star campaigners for their parties.
For both the Trinamool and the BJP, local leaders and workers are carrying out door-to-door visits to canvass support for their candidates.
The Bhabanipur Assembly constituency comprises eight Kolkata Municipal Corporation wards — 63, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 77 and 82 — all represented by Trinamool councillors. Its boundary stretches from Bhabanipur-Chakraberia in the east to Alipore-Ekbalpore-Kidderpore in the west, Chetla in the south and Maidan in the north.
Local BJP leaders said that while the party does well in several wards, it trails Trinamool by a large margin in wards 77 and 82. Mayor Firhad Hakim is the councillor from Ward 82.
Hakim is the Trinamool candidate from the Calcutta Port Assembly seat and is supervising the party’s campaign in wards 74, 77 and 82 in Bhabanipur.
BJP sources said that a strong candidate in Calcutta Port would force Hakim to devote more time there, reducing his focus on Ward 82. “If we can make some gains in Ward 82 by keeping Hakim restricted in Calcutta Port, our prospects will be even better,” said a party worker.
The BJP has fielded Rakesh Singh in Calcutta Port.
Mamata won the Bhabanipur Assembly seat by a record margin of 58,832 votes in a September 2021 bypoll. However, Trinamool secured just 8,297 votes more than the BJP in the Bhabanipur segment of the Kolkata South Lok Sabha seat in 2024.