Kolkata, May 4 -- In a significant political setback for the ruling Trinamool Congress, existing minister and the minority face of party Siddiqullah Chowdhury was defeated by his BJP rival.
The loss marks the first instance of a sitting minister in the All India Trinamool Congress government being unseated in this election cycle, signalling potential cracks in the party's stronghold.
Chowdhury, the Minister of Mass Education Extension and Library Services and one of the party's prominent minority faces, was defeated by BJP candidate Saikat Panja by a margin of 14,798 votes.
Panja secured 96,559 votes, comfortably ahead of Chowdhury, who managed 81,761 votes.
Apart from Chowdhury there are atleast 20 existing ministers in Chief Minister ...