Jadavpur is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. Among the seven assembly segments under the constituency, two (Jadavpur and Tollygunge) are in Kolkata district while the rest five are in South 24 Parganas district. The assembly segments are: Baruipur Purba (TMC), Baruipur Paschim (TMC), Sonarpur Dakshin (TMC), Bhangar (ISF), Jadavpur (TMC), Sonarpur Uttar (TMC) and Tollygunge (TMC). Voting for the Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat will take place in the final phase of polls on June 1 while the counting of votes will take place on June 4.
Current MP: Vacant (Mimi Chakraborty of TMC won in 2019)
Top Contenders: Saayoni Ghosh (TMC), Srijan Bhattacharyya (CPI-M), Anirban Ganguly (BJP)
Political Dynamics
TMC Strong in Jadavpur
In 2019, the TMC won the prestigious seat of Jadavpur by a margin of over 2.95 lakh votes. That was a staggering victory in an election which saw the BJP inflict severe losses on the ruling party of Bengal. However, Jadavpur stood out as one of the constituencies that overwhelmingly chose the TMC. In fact, Jadavpur is among the most difficult constituencies to win in the state, with both the Left and TMC having considerable hold over it. In 2019, the BJP emerged as a serious political force here as well, bagging 40% of the votes.
The TMC has now fielded Saayoni Ghosh from Jadavpur. Ghosh is a young leader of the TMC who has grown in popularity and stature for two reasons – the trust she has built with her party’s top brass and the fact that she looks like a young Mamata Banerjee herself. Her work in Tripura for the TMC has lent her an identity of being a streetfighter like Banerjee.
Barring Jadavpur and Tollygunge, which come under south Kolkata proper, five assembly segments are a mix of rural and semi-urban areas. Bhangar, in fact, has been a political flash point with violent clashes in the past. Sonarpur and Baruipur segments are not much different. Out of the seven assembly segments, the TMC has MLAs in six while the Indian Secular Front (ISF) won Bhangar in 2021. There is a dominance of Muslim voters in at least three of these seven segments, which gives the TMC an edge in the fight this time too.
The problem, though, arises if one looks at the kind of effort the Left and Indian Secular Front are putting into the Jadavpur constituency. The ISF was originally meant to be a part of the INDI bloc, however, it dropped out of the alliance in April. The CPI(M) has fielded Srijan Bhattacharyya – a young leader who could eat into the Dalit and Muslim votes here.
The role of the ISF is now crucial, as it remains to be seen which party its voter base supports. A significant division of Muslim votes could land the TMC in trouble in a seat it is rather comfortably placed to win. The Left is not in a position to win the seat on its own but is acting with a long-term strategy of regaining its foothold in Jadavpur.
Interestingly, the TMC also appears to be at an advantage since the women voters outweigh the men in Jadavpur. As such, Mamata Banerjee’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme is set to play a pivotal role here.
BJP Faces Uphill Battle
The BJP is unlikely to upstage the TMC in Jadavpur in this election. For starters, it lost to the TMC by close to 2 lakh votes in 2019. This time, the BJP faces tougher competition since the TMC has fielded Saayoni Ghosh – who is striking a chord with the electorate in Jadavpur. Although the BJP has fielded scholar-turned-politician Anirban Ganguly, his prospects do not appear very promising.
For starters, this is his first election. In a constituency like Jadavpur, fielding an electoral novice may not have been among BJP’s brightest ideas, especially not when their candidate is supposed to take on a rising star within the TMC’s ranks.
For the BJP, PM Modi’s campaign in Jadavpur will be of critical importance and could help the party increase its vote share in the final overs of the electoral match. However, winning the seat just yet does not appear to be a possibility.
The BJP’s focus here remains on Modi’s vision for development, TMC’s corruption and patronage of its vote bank, the Sandeshkhali incident and promises that the payout under Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will be increased to Rs 3,000 every month.
Across Jadavpur, the influence of university politics is palpable. Jadavpur University is considered a bastion of the Left, and as such, it has an influence on the way this constituency thinks and votes. In terms of narrative-building, the BJP has been at a disadvantage here.
Key Issues
Corruption
Corruption has been raised as one of the most important issues in the election. The people allege corruption across the board by the local administration. There has been no development in the region and people blame the rampant corruption as one of the biggest reasons for it. Sonarpur IT Park, the foundation stone of which was laid by former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has remained a non-starter for over a decade. Encroachment of government land by local leaders and strongmen has become a major nuisance for the people. Local politicians often encroach upon unused government land and construct houses over it.
Railway Connectivity
There is a massive issue faced by the region in terms of railway connectivity. People have complained about the low frequency of trains on the Sealdah-Lakshmikantapur suburban route. The demand of more trains connecting the region and improving the railway connectivity has been raised time and again but to no avail.
Drinking Water
There is a severe drinking water crisis in the Jadavpur region which is exacerbated in the summers. With the temperature rising, the water consumption has rapidly increased. According to an estimate, while on an average the KMC supplies 165 litres of water daily to an individual in Kolkata during winters, by the second week of April, the demand soars and almost doubles. Reports of water shortage and crises has already started. To address water supply challenges, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has constructed 37 booster pumping stations in the past three to four years. These stations include reservoirs that store water and use high-powered pumps to increase water pressure, enabling it to reach more remote areas. The KMC is also expanding its production capacity by upgrading the Dhapa water treatment plant and building a new plant in Briji. These projects, expected to take two years to complete, aim to meet the increasing water demand in Kasba, Jadavpur, Behala, and Tollygunge.
Healthcare and Education Infrastructure
The region faces a shortage of quality educational facilities. Government schools often fail to provide adequate education, while private schools are financially inaccessible to daily wage earners. Healthcare infrastructure also lags behind, lacking basic facilities. When residents fall ill, they are forced to seek medical care in Kolkata, highlighting a significant lack of local healthcare options. Despite residents voicing their concerns, the state government has shown little response to their needs.
Lack of civic Amenities
Lack of civic infrastructure remains a major issue in Jadavpur. There is a lack of all-weather roads connecting rural areas. There is also an issue of erratic electric supply which is caused in the monsoon seasons after rains as citizens have complained that daily life gets impacted due to it. Moreover, the crumbling healthcare infrastructure forces people to travel to nearby Lucknow for major ailments. Patients in Barabanki also suffer due to a lack of basic amenities at the present healthcare facilities in the region.
Waterlogging
Jadavpur faces recurring waterlogging issues, largely due to an aging and inadequate sewage system that struggles to handle the growing population. Even short periods of rain can overwhelm the system, causing widespread flooding that paralyzes the city for days. Residents are often confined to their homes, unable to navigate the flooded streets. The flooding also washes garbage from the streets into homes, creating unsanitary conditions and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Infrastructure Development
New Flyovers
New Flyovers have been erected from Jadavpur police station to Lords Bakery, EM bypass to Newtown Garia to Jadavpur and Jadavpur to Majerhat.
Amrit Bharat
Under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme,’ 28 stations under the Eastern Railway (ER) have been earmarked for redevelopment. Sonarpur railway station is among those being revamped under this scheme. The Eastern Railway previously announced that the redevelopment of Sonarpur station is progressing with a total investment of Rs 8.1 crore. The station will feature enhanced amenities, including an AC waiting hall, a refurbished facade and circulating area, upgraded signage, improved lighting and fans, solar panels, and display boards.
Booster pumping stations
Over the next two years, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will construct 18 semi-underground water reservoirs-cum-booster pumping stations to supply potable water to large parts of the Tollygunge-Jadavpur belt and nearby neighbourhoods off the EM Bypass. This project is part of a Rs 700 crore initiative to enhance water infrastructure in the area. One million residents of the extensive stretches along the EM Bypass and the Tollygunge-Jadavpur belt will benefit. Since 2019, 26 booster pumping stations have already been built in Behala, Tollygunge, Garia, and Jadavpur.
Demographics
Total Voters: 1816117
SC: 437,684 (24.1%)
ST: 9,081 (0.5%)
Geographical Composition
Urban Voters: 728,263 (40.1%)
Rural Voters: 1,087,854 (59.9%)
Religious Composition
Hindu: 77.5%
Muslim: 21.4%
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