NEW DELHI: The CPI(M) has ended its five-year electoral drought in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, winning a single seat in the 294-member House and shedding the “zero” tag it carried after the 2021 polls.
CPI(M) candidate Mostafizur Rahaman, also known as Rana, defeated Trinamool Congress nominee Humayun Kabir in Domkal, a constituency long considered a stronghold of the ruling party.
According to Election Commission data, Rahaman won by a margin of 16,296 votes.
The Left Front’s ally, the Indian Secular Front, also retained its Bhangar seat, with Nawsad Siddiqui securing a second consecutive victory since 2021.
In the previous Assembly election, the Left parties failed to win any seats, drawing sharp criticism from both the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. This time, the CPI(M) contested 195 constituencies as part of a broader Left Front effort spanning over 250 seats.
The Left Front’s decline dates back to 2011, when the Trinamool Congress ended its 34-year rule. Since then, the party has been on a downward trajectory. The CPI(M)’s tally fell from 40 seats in 2011 to 26 in 2016, before dropping to zero in 2021.
Polling for the current Assembly election was held in two phases on 23 and April 29, recording a high overall turnout of 92.47 per cent, among the highest since Independence.
