Left-backed Congress unlocks Bengal assembly door with Sagardighi win, Mamata says 'unholy alliance'

Congress candidate Bayron Biswas defeated his nearest rival from the Trinamool, Debashish Banerjee, by 22,986 in the seat which saw Trinamool's victory in the last three state elections held in 2011, 2016 and 2021.

In the 2021 elections, Trinamool candidate Subrata Saha (whose death necessitated the bypoll) won for the third consecutive term by over 52,000 votes.

With the stunning win, the Congress, which had ruled the state for decades since Independence but out of power since 1977, will return to the assembly with its lone member.

Congress says Mamata not invincible

The Sagardighi win has prompted Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to dare Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee ahead of the crucial panchayat elections in the backdrop of the massive corruption allegations levelled against the incumbent.

Chowdhury said, "This result shows Mamata Banerjee is not invincible. Congress can win and rout (Trinamool Congress)."

"Congress may lose elections but won't fade away," the firebrand Congress MP and Lok Sabha leader added.

Mamata calls Left-Congress alliance unholy

In an apparent setback, Mamata during her press briefing at her office Nabanna lashed out at the Left and Congress alliance calling it "unholy" and accused the two parties of playing "communal card".

"I don't blame the people. I blame the communal card, hatred and unholy alliance of Left, Congress and BJP," said Banerjee.

Accusing the Left and Congress of mock fighting against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she said, "Left and CPI-M came together and they got votes from BJP. I want to ask them, 'why are you doing these alliances silently'?"

Change is coming, says Left

The Left, which had decided not to contest the polls on request of the Congress, is smelling a change in the political spectrum of the state, which is absolutely dominated by the Trinamool since 2009 General Elections.

Addressing a press conference, CPI-M state secretary Md. Salim said, "People were able to exercise their right to vote this time. Trinamool is aware what will be their situation if people do cast votes. The wind is blowing in the other direction."

BJP slips to number three

In the fierce battle between the ruling Trinamool and Congress in Sagardighi, the biggest casualty has been the BJP, whose electoral performance has gradually declined post 2021 state polls.

Following the trends in various bypolls, the BJP on Thursday slipped to the third position with mere 13.94% votes, down from 24.08% of votes registered in 2021.

In a bid to cover up their losses, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, "The Muslims are also realising the Trinamool has done nothing for them. So they are moving away from the Trinamool. I appeal to the Muslim people to believe in the BJP like the Christians did for us in Nagaland."

Bengal witnesses incidents involving minorities since 2021

As various political experts fathom the causes of the Trinamool's setback, some incidents involving the minority population post 2021 polls remain fresh in people's mind and are unmissable.

In February 2022, student leader Anis Khan died of falling from the second floor of his residence in Howrah but the Opposition had cried foul play behind his death.

Though the West Bengal Police called it a death by falling, Anis' father Salem Khan did not buy the police's claim and had demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

In March 2022, eight Muslim people were killed in an arson at the Bogtui village in West Bengal's Birbhum district, which was virtually ruled by jailed Trinamool heavyweight Anubrata Mondal.

The latest incident that had rocked Bengal politics was the arrest of Indian Secular Front (ISF) lone MLA Naushad Siddique earlier this year following a clash with the police during a protest march in Kolkata's downtown Esplanade.

Naushad was released on bail only on Thursday by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court after spending 40 days behind the bar.