Wed Oct 15 17:21:34 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**Bhabanipur Constituency Heats Up as Banerjee Voices Concerns Over Displacement, Adhikari Vows Defeat**
**KOLKATA, October 15, 2025** – The political climate in Bhabanipur, the constituency represented by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is intensifying as both she and opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari engage in a war of words ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
Chief Minister Banerjee has expressed strong disapproval of the demolition of slums and the construction of large residential projects, claiming it leads to the displacement of local voters. She voiced concerns about the deliberate influx of “bohiragoto” (outsiders) into Bhabanipur, accusing them of driving away existing residents by buying land and homes.
The term “bohiragoto” is frequently used by Trinamool Congress leaders to target individuals from outside West Bengal, particularly those whose native language isn’t Bengali. However, Banerjee clarified that those who move to the state to live and work are considered residents of Bengal.
In response, BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has vowed to defeat Banerjee in Bhabanipur. He stated that the BJP currently holds the lead in five out of eight wards within the constituency. He also declared that after the upcoming special intensive revision of electoral rolls, Banerjee will face defeat in Bhabanipur.
This isn’t the first time Adhikari has predicted a strong challenge for Banerjee in Bhabanipur.
Banerjee’s comments, delivered via telephone to senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, highlight her unease over the increasing number of high-rise buildings in her constituency.
The Chief Minister’s concerns are particularly significant given the BJP’s narrowing lead in Bhabanipur during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. While Banerjee won the seat by 58,832 votes in 2021, securing 72% of the votes after losing to Adhikari in Nandigram, the ruling party’s lead in 2024 dropped to just 8,297 votes.
The BJP led in wards 63, 70, 71, 72, and 74 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation during the 2024 polling, while the Trinamool Congress led in wards 73, 77 and 82.
Bhabanipur, a diverse constituency in the heart of Kolkata, has elected Banerjee for three consecutive terms in 2011, 2016, and 2021. Both Ms. Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee have homes in the constituency. The upcoming Assembly polls are expected to be a closely contested battle as the two leaders are locking horns to gain the upper hand.
First Piper 