Star campaigners turn up heat in Malda’s multi-cornered contest
The Statesman | 19 April 2026
In North Bengal’s politically sensitive Malda district, the election campaign has gathered momentum, turning both urban centres and rural belts into a high-voltage battleground of narratives, personalities, and shifting loyalties.
In recent days, the contest has taken on a distinctly dramatic character, with major parties deploying star campaigners to consolidate crucial vote banks ~ particularly in the Muslim-dominated pockets of Kaliachak, Sujapur, and Mothabari.
The Trinamul Congress set the tone earlier this week by fielding former Indian cricketer and Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan. His road show through Sujapur and adjoining areas drew significant crowds, in what was widely seen as a move to reinforce the party’s grip over minority-dominated constituencies.
The Trinamul Congress has also roped in film stars, including Dev (actor), to campaign in Hindu-dominated belts such as Gazole and adjoining areas.
The Congress responded swiftly. On Saturday, it brought in another cricketing heavyweight, Mohammad Azharuddin, who led a parallel show of strength across Kaliachak, Sujapur, and Mothabari ~ signalling the party’s intent to reclaim lost ground in a district once considered its bastion.
Meanwhile, the Left Front, in alliance with the ISF, has injected fresh energy into the contest. ISF leader Naushad Siddique campaigned extensively across English Bazar, Sujapur, and Mothabari over two days, drawing sizeable crowds. Notably, sections of supporters were heard addressing him as “Comrade Naushad,” underscoring an unusual blending of Left and ISF political cultures.
The ISF campaign, however, is not without controversy. Its candidate from Mothabari remains in jail following arrest over allegations of detaining judicial officials for several hours. Despite this, Siddique struck a defiant note, asserting that ISF and Left Front candidates would emerge victorious from the region.
Senior CPI-M leader Mohammad Salim has also been active on the campaign trail, lending weight to the Left’s efforts to regain lost ground in a district where it once enjoyed considerable influence.
The BJP, for its part, has mounted a multi-layered campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have already addressed rallies, while former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi focused on tribal-dominated pockets. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha also campaigned in select constituencies on Saturday.
The Congress, buoyed by a recent rally addressed by Rahul Gandhi, is cautiously optimistic about reopening its account in Malda after years of decline. The Trinamul Congress, however, remains determined to defend its expanding footprint, setting the stage for a direct and intense contest between the two.
Yet, the battle is far from bipolar. The Left-ISF combine is positioning itself as a serious challenger, seeking to disrupt traditional electoral arithmetic. CPI-M candidate Ambar Mitra in English Bazar ~ a veteran party leader who rose through the ranks to become district secretary ~ believes the visible groundswell of support could translate into a surprise victory. The constituency, which went to the BJP in 2021, is now witnessing a tight BJP-TMC contest, with the Left hoping to make inroads.
As campaigning intensifies, it is evident that Malda’s electoral battle is not merely about party lines, but about perception, legacy, and strategic recalibration. With multiple players vying for influence and communities being courted with renewed urgency, the district appears poised for a contest that could reshape political equations in North Bengal.
In Malda, the road to the ballot box is anything but straightforward ~ it is crowded, noisy, and fiercely contested, where every rally, every face, and every slogan may prove decisive.