West Bengal Assembly election 2021, Bolpur profile: TMC's Chandranath Singha won seat in 2016 polls

The Assembly/Vidhan Sabha constituency of Bolpur is located in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. It falls under the Bolpur (SC) Lok Sabha constituency. As per the voter list of 2019, there are 2,58,956 electorates and 286 polling stations in this constituency. Voter turnout was 85.65 percent in the 2016 assembly election.

Past election results and winners

In the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Trinamool Congress’ Chandranath Singha won from the constituency. In the 2011 elections, Chandranath Singha of Trinamool Congress defeated Tapan Hore of RSP. The Bolpur assembly constituency is home to a total of 3,28,531 people, of which 69.72 percent is rural and 30.28 percent is urban population. As per orders of the Delimitation Commission, Bolpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency) is composed of Bolpur municipality, Ilambazar CD Block and Raipur Supur, Ruppur and Sattor gram panchayats of Bolpur Sriniketan CD Block. The constituency, often associated with Rabindranath Tagore, recently saw a mega rally led by Union home minister Amit Shah, considered a strategy of the BJP to secure a victory in the ‘rarh Bangla’ region. The West Bengal Assembly polls will be held to elect a total of 294 Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

Election Date and Timings

The Bolpur (SC) Assembly constituency will go to polls on 29 April as part of the eighth and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly election 2021. Polling will start from 7 am and continue till 6 pm. An additional one hour from 6 pm to 7 pm has been reserved for COVID-19 positive patients as well as those isolating at home. Elections for the West Bengal assembly are being held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on 27 March under phase 1, 30 seats on 1 April under phase 2, followed by the third phase on 6 April for 31 seats, the fourth phase on 10 April for 44 constituencies, the fifth phase on 17 April for 45 seats, sixth phase for 43 seats on 22 April, seventh phase on 26 April for 36 seats and last and eighth phase on 29 April for 35 seats. The state is held by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC with an absolute majority, with Mamata Banerjee on her second consecutive term as chief minister. The ruling party is fighting a pitched battle with archrival BJP and its allies in the NDA, while the Congress-led Sanyukt Morcha is also a key player in the fray.