In a major political shift for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Indian National Congress has decided to contest all 294 seats independently, breaking away from previous alliance structures. On March 29, 2026, the party released its first extensive list of 284 candidates, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans and significant new entrants.
Key Candidate Announcements
The list is headlined by two prominent figures aimed at reclaiming the party’s influence in its traditional bastions:
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Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Baharampur): The former West Bengal Congress chief and veteran parliamentarian is returning to the state assembly fray. After a high-profile defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to Yusuf Pathan, Chowdhury’s candidacy in Baharampur is seen as a move to re-consolidate the party’s “Murshidabad stronghold.”
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Mausam Noor (Malatipur): In a significant development, former MP Mausam Noor—who had previously defected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC)—has rejoined the Congress and will contest from the Malatipur seat in Malda.
Other Notable Names in the List
The party has strategically fielded candidates across key constituencies to challenge both the TMC and the BJP:
| Candidate | Constituency |
| Pradip Prasad | Bhabanipur (Mamata Banerjee’s 2021 seat) |
| S K Jariatul Hossain | Nandigram |
| Susmita Biswas | Dum Dum |
| Gautam Bhattacharya | Diamond Harbour |
| Madhap Rai | Darjeeling |
| Ranajit Mukherjee | Bidhannagar |
| Souvik Mukherjee | Asansol Dakshin |
Election Schedule & Strategy
The decision to “go solo” follows a blank performance in the 2021 assembly elections. According to AICC in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir, the party received over 2,500 applications, indicating a rejuvenated interest among the rank and file to fight without an alliance.
Important Election Dates:
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Phase 1 Polling: April 23, 2026 (152 seats)
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Phase 2 Polling: April 29, 2026 (142 seats)
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Counting of Votes: May 4, 2026
The Regional Backdrop
This internal political maneuvering comes at a time of high regional tension. While the Congress focuses on West Bengal, the national conversation is heavily influenced by the US-Iran war, which has led to strikes in Kuwait and Dubai and a massive US military buildup in the Gulf. Domestically, these global shocks are causing energy supply concerns, prompting the Indian government to relax kerosene rules to ensure stability.
The Big Picture: By fielding heavyweights like Chowdhury and Noor, the Congress is signaling that it is no longer content being a “junior partner” in Bengal and is aiming to re-establish itself as the third pole in what has recently been a TMC-BJP bipolar contest.
