New Delhi, April 13 -- As the West Bengal assembly polls approach, the Dum Dum constituency in North 24 Parganas assumes significance as a high-profile urban battleground.

The contest here is headlined by the incumbent MLA and West Bengal Education Minister, Bratya Basu of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), who has won three consecutive elections since 2011. Challenging him are Arijit Bakshi of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mayukh Biswas of the CPI(M), and Susmita Biswas of the Indian National Congress.

This lineup reflects a multi-cornered fight in a seat that was once a "Red Bastion" of the Left and transitioned to a key pillar of the Trinamool Congress' dominance since 2011.

The political importance of Dum Dum lies in its status...