Bangaon Lok Sabha constituency: Candidates for 2019 LS poll, past results, all updates

Bangaon (locally called as Bonga)  Lok Sabha constituency is one of the high-profile seats in West Bengal which has seen a fierce political battle between BJP and TMC over political supremacy. But more than that it is a battle inside the Matua community over who is the real political heir to late Boroma Beenapani Debi. Boroma Beenapani Debi was the matriarch of the Matua community, who came from East Pakistan, present day Bangladesh. Belonging to the Namashudro community, Matua vote is the biggest determining factor in Bangaon. 

Mamata Banerjee first brought Matua community to political limelight by going to Thakurbari and paying respects to Beenapani Debi. It paid her political dividends too with Matua votes going enmasse for TMC. With BJP proposing Citizenship Amendment Bill, it is an issue which resonates with the community as many have come from outside India. Hence the BJP has attracted some amount of traction among the Matuas, and even PM Modi met Baroma in February this year. His rally in Matua heartland of Thakurnagar was one of the biggest, the region has ever seen. BJP is bullish about its chances in Bangaon and has nominated Shantanu Thakur, grandson of Beenapani Debi and son of former TMC Minister Manjul Krishna Thakur. Manjul had a fallout with TMC and joined BJP. His son will be contesting against his aunt incumbent MP Mamata Bala Thakur. Mamata Balal Thakur is the daughter-in-law of late Baroma, She became MP after her husband TMC MP Kapil Krishna Thakur passed away in 2015.  So essentially, this is a battle between estranged members of the first family of Matua community. 

In the campaign trail, on Saturday, 4th May, Shantanu Thakur had a car accident where he suffered head injury. His family has alleged TMC hand in it. TMC has denied the allegation and has claimed that Shantanu was carrying large amount of cash in the car. Bangaon seat came into existence after delimitation in 2008. In 2009, veteran TMC leader Gobindra Chandra Naskar won from Bangaon. In 2014, Baroma's son Kapil Krishna won by 1.47 lakh votes defeating CPI(M)'s Debesh Das. In 2015, Mamatabala Thakur won by 2.10 lakh votes against Debesh Das. BJP was third on both occasions. But with support from an influential section of the Matuas, the party is hoping for a coup this time. To avoid that, TMC has deployed its senior leader Jyotipriyo Mallik to ensure no-hiccups. CPI(M)'s Alakesh Das and Congress' Sourav Prasad are also in the fray, though they are no match for the might of TMC and BJP here. 

The assembly segments under Bangaon are Kalyani, Haringhata,Bagda, Bangaon Uttar, Bangaon Dakshin, Gaighata and Swarupnagar, all of which are SC reserved.  Elections for 42 seats in West Bengal are taking place in seven phases. In 2014, TMC got 34, Congress 4 and BJP and CPI(M) won two seats each in the state.