Kolkata, May 4: In a significant victory for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rathin Ghosh has won the Madhyamgram assembly seat in the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, defeating BJP’s Anindya Banerjee by 2,399 votes. Ghosh secured 95,995 votes, while Banerjee received 93,596 votes.
The election saw a remarkable voter turnout of 94.62%, a notable increase compared to previous elections. The average voter turnout across the North 24 Parganas district was 92.92%.
Madhyamgram is part of the Kolkata Metropolitan area and falls under the Barasat Lok Sabha constituency. Since its formation in 2011 after the 2008 delimitation, TMC has maintained a stronghold on this seat, with Ghosh winning decisively in both the 2016 and 2021 elections.
Rathin Ghosh, aged 68 and a 12th-grade graduate, has no criminal cases against him and has an estimated wealth of around ₹57.9 lakh. He has won this seat three times consecutively. In contrast, BJP’s Anindya Banerjee, 57, also a 12th-grade graduate, has 12 criminal cases registered against him and a reported wealth of ₹3.3 crore.
The BJP has intensified its competition this time by fielding Banerjee. Congress candidate Anant Ray, aged 72 and a graduate professional, has no criminal cases against him and an estimated wealth of ₹41.6 lakh.
Madhyamgram features a mix of urban and rural areas, with the Muslim community forming the largest voter base at approximately 27.60%, followed by Scheduled Caste voters at around 12.78%. This social dynamic makes elections in the region particularly competitive.
TMC’s strong local organization and welfare schemes continue to benefit the party, although the BJP has been gradually increasing its vote share in recent years, making the contest more competitive than before. Congress’s position remains weak.