After the completion of fourth phase with 78.37 per cent voter turnout, West Bengal is ready to set its sights on the fifth phase which will happen on May 20. Seven of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies will go to polls in this phase and the constituencies include Bangaon (SC), Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Sreerampur, Hooghly, and Arambag.
Check the details about the constituencies here:
Barrackpore-
In Barrackpore, BJP candidate Arjun Singh is up against Partha Bhowmick of TMC and Debdut Ghosh from the CPI(M) who enjoys the support of Congress. After a denial of nomination by the ruling TMC, Singh moved to the BJP five years ago, where he secured victory in the 2019 elections. Interestingly, he later returned to TMC within three years. In 2019, he won against Dinesh Trivedi.
Geographically, Barrackpore stretches from North 24-Parganas district to the Northern limits of Kolkata. Historically known for its manufacturing prowess, Barrackpore was home to numerous jute and textile mills, and other industrial establishments such as the Ishapore Metal & Steel Factory, which bolstered the local economy.
Bangaon-
In Bangaon, BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur is pitted against TMC's Biswajit Das. In 2019, Shantanu Thakur of the BJP won the Bangaon constituency by defeating TMC's Mamata Thakur.
The Bangaon constituency, primarily populated from North 24 Parganas district, is a seat reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. A glance at the 2011 Census reveals, SC and ST communities accounting for 21.7% and 2.6% of the population respectively, while Hindus and Muslims constituted 73.46% and 25.82% respectively.
In Bangaon, the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) can stand as a litmus test for the contestants there as it has divided the Matua community who migrated in large numbers after the partition in 1947.
Howrah-
19 candidates are contesting for the Howrah Lok Sabha constituency. Their names are Prasun Banerjee, Ashraf Ali, Chandra Sekhar Jha, Debasish Mandal, Gautam Kumar Shaw, Imtiaz Ahmed Mollah, Kanai Sit, Kashi Nath Malick, Md. Shanawaz, Pankaj Gar, Rantidev Sengupta, Samir Mondal, Sekhar Mondal, Shailendra Kumar Jaiswal, Shyam Prasad Ram, Sisir Samanta, Sudarsan Manna, Sumitro Adhikary, and Suvra Ghosh.
In 2019, Prasun Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won against BJP's Rantidev Sengupta in Howrah.
Howrah, situated next to Kolkata, is an important urban center in West Bengal. Despite being the third smallest district, its location along the Hooghly River adds to its importance. Known for landmarks like the Howrah Bridge, Indian Botanic Garden, and Santragachhi Lake, Howrah blends industrial activity with cultural heritage.
With a population of 2,112,447 as per the 2011 census, Howrah has a high urbanization rate of 92.96% and a small rural population. The demographic makeup includes 9.04% Scheduled Castes and 0.3% Scheduled Tribes, along with a high population density and a literacy rate of 83.85%.
Uluberia-
TMC's Sajda Ahmed is up against Arun Uday Pal Chaudhary of BJP and Azahar Mollick of the Congress.
Uluberia constitutes an almost equal divide between Hindu and Muslim voters. In this context, it's noteworthy that the constituency is one of few Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal chosen for the contest by the Indian Secular Front (ISF)—a party headed by Abbas Siddiqui, a revered cleric from the Furfura Sharif shrine in Hooghly district. Uluberia's political past reveals a significant Left Front influence—evidenced by an impressive eight-time electoral win by Hannan Mollah, a member of the CPI (M). However, this monopoly was disrupted in 2009 with the victory of Sultan Ahmed, a TMC candidate. Following his demise, the next by-election in 2018 was won by his wife, Sajda Ahmed, thereby keeping the TMC flag flying high in the constituency under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.
Sreerampore-
TMC's Kalyan Banerjee is up against BJP's Kabir Shankar Bose in Sreerampore.
In the past, the Lok Sabha seat witnessed battles between the Congress and the CPI(M). However, in 1998 and 1999, Akbar Ali Khondkar won the seat for the TMC, which was then lost to the CPI(M) in 2004.
Since 2009, TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee has been representing the seat. In the current election, he is competing against BJP’s Kabir Shankar Bose and Dipsita Dhar of the CPI(M), supported by the Congress.
All seven assembly segments within the Sreerampore Lok Sabha constituency were won by the TMC in the 2021 state election.
Hooghly-
Locket Chatterjee of BJP is up against Manadip Ghosh of CPI(M), Mrinal Kanti Das of IND and Paban Mazumder of SUCI (C).
In 2019, Locket Chatterjee from the BJP won the seat with 6,71,448 votes. Dr. Ratna De of the Trinamool Congress came in second with 5,98,086 votes, while Pradip Saha of the CPI(M) secured third place with 1,21,588 votes.
Hooghly is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, comprising four subdivisions: Chinsurah Sadar, Srirampur, Chandannagar, and Arambag. Historically, the city of Hooghly was a prominent port for trade in India before colonization. With a population of 5,519,145 as per the 2011 census, Hooghly is among the economically developed districts in West Bengal. It serves as a major hub for jute cultivation, jute industries, and jute trade in the state.
Arambag-
Mitali Bagh from TMC is set to face off against Anup Kanti Digar from the BJP.
Arambagh is a significant parliamentary constituency in West Bengal, falling under the SC category among the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Traditionally held by the Left since 1980, it came under TMC's control in 2014. In the 2019 General elections, Aparupa Poddr of TMC secured victory with 6,49,929 votes and a 44.15% vote share, defeating BJP’s Tapan Kumar Ray by a narrow margin of 1,142 votes