Bengal Election Chaos: Political Parties Announce Candidates Prematurely Ahead of 2026 Assembly Polls

Kolkata:

West Bengal's assembly elections are scheduled for early next year, but the extended waiting period has prompted both the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition BJP to accelerate their electoral preparations prematurely. Surprisingly, they have bypassed crucial steps, including consultations with senior party officials, and jumped directly to announcing candidates.

These announcements have largely been unauthorized - made either by supporters of ambitious contenders or by the aspirants themselves - creating embarrassment for their respective parties.

In the Trinamool camp, Anubrata Mandal has publicly named the party's candidate for Sainthia. During a Bijoya Sammilani event in Sainthia, Mondol officially endorsed sitting MLA Lilabati for the position.

"My friends, remember the 2026 elections are for Mamata Banerjee. The candidate identity isn't your concern. Lilabati is Mamata Banerjee's chosen candidate. If Lilabati doesn't win this election, Mamata Banerjee won't become Chief Minister," he declared.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ashok Dinda has self-announced his candidacy for the Maina constituency. The former cricketer made this declaration from a public platform, drawing significant criticism from BJP leadership.

"I'm informing you that I have a 99.99 percent chance of contesting from Maina in the 2026 election. While BJP's official nomination remains pending, I can confidently state there's a 99.99 percent probability that Ashok Dinda will contest from this constituency... I will contest," he asserted.

Some BJP leaders, however, don't perceive this as problematic. Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari stated that Dinda would become a candidate when officially announced by the party.

"He can be the candidate when the party makes it official. He's an active MLA who maintains presence in his constituency and serves his constituents effectively. So he can reference his proven assembly performance," Adhikari explained, while emphasizing that the final decision rests with the party, not the MLA.

Trinamool has criticized the BJP regarding Ashok Dinda's statements.

Senior Trinamool leader Jayprakash Majumder remarked, "His statement reveals disorder within BJP. Currently, everyone in the BJP is seeking a ticket."

However, Majumder denied any internal issues within his own party. He defended Anubrata Mondal's Birbhum remarks, stating, "There's nothing inappropriate; anyone can predict candidate names if they wish."