Kamal Ghorui
In West Bengal’s Natabari consituency, BJP’s Girija Shankar Ray defeated TMC’s Sailen Barma by 34,613 votes. Ray got 1,26,911 votes while Barma got 92,298 votes.Natabari is a general (unreserved) constituency in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. In 2026, the candidates include Sailen Barma of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Girija Shankar Ray of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Biswajit Sarkar of the Congress.In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, the constituency was won by Mihir Goswami of the BJP, who defeated his nearest rival from the TMC by a margin of 36,694 votes. The victory was viewed as significant, particularly because Goswami had previously been associated with the TMC before switching to the BJP ahead of the elections. His win reflected both personal political dynamics and the BJP’s strengthened presence in parts of Cooch Behar district.The constituency is predominantly rural, with agriculture forming the backbone of the local economy. Paddy cultivation, small-scale farming, and allied activities such as livestock rearing play a central role in shaping livelihoods. Key issues largely revolve around rural development and economic stability, with agricultural challenges including irrigation facilities, crop prices, and vulnerability to floods remaining central concerns for residents.The constituency went to polls on April 23, as part of Phase 1. Cooch Behar district recorded a voter turnout of 96.2%, the highest among all districts in the phase.
