Kolkata, April 20 -- Jhargram, a former Maoist hotbed, is witnessing heavyweight campaigning, with leaders from Narendra Modi to Mamata Banerjee addressing rallies in this district, which has four Assembly seats. The Jhargram Constituency is set to see two new faces in the 2026 Assembly election, as the ruling party has fielded Mangal Soren, while Lakshmikant Sahu has been nominated by the principal opposition BJP. The contest is shaping up to be a high-stakes battle largely centred around the TMC and BJP, leaving little space for other opposition forces.
Once frequently in headlines for Maoist clashes, Jhargram has transformed into a relatively serene rural area. While the atmosphere of fear has subsided, key issues such as healthcare, education and tribal welfare remain decisive factors in this election.
In the 2021 Assembly polls, TMC's Birbaha Hansda won by a margin of 38,240 votes, defeating BJP's Sukhamoy Satapati. This time, Birbaha Hansda has been shifted to the Binpur seat, with Mangal Soren-currently a law officer at Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University-fielded by the TMC. Soren had earlier contested from this seat as a candidate of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in 2004, and although he lost, his vote share was not negligible. Since coming to power, the TMC has largely maintained a stronghold in Jhargram, except in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when the BJP secured a narrow victory. The party regained ground in 2021 and 2024, with leaders like Chhatradhar Mahata-once linked to Maoist movements-playing a role in the recovery.
Public opinion remains divided. A section of locals supports the TMC's development efforts: "We are happy with the development activities in the region undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee administration. The primary hospital in Lalgarh now has 30 beds, with good doctors attending patients. Students now do not have to go to Kolkata for higher education as we have Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University here." The other sections believe the "disgust" that people of Jhargram had with the CPI(M) 15 years ago is going to dominate election sentiments against the Trinamool this time. "We need a change this time," says a youth, who lives in this Constituency.
Apart from healthcare and education, tribal welfare remains a crucial factor. The TMC has repeatedly raised the demand for inclusion of Kurmali in the Eighth Schedule, which has not been addressed by the Centre, while the BJP has promised this inclusion in its manifesto. Social welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar and Yuva Sathi are also expected to influence voters in the region.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.