From Mamata Banerjee To Suvendu Adhikari, Meet Top 10 Power Players Who Will Shape Bengal Polls

Last Updated:April 15, 2026, 11:22 IST

From legacy politicians defending their turf to emerging leaders trying to reshape their parties’ fortunes, a handful of names stand out

The 2026 West Bengal assembly election is shaping up to be far more than a routine state contest—it is now a high-stakes political showdown with national implications. After nearly 15 years in power, Mamata Banerjee faces perhaps her toughest battle yet: a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) determined to convert its steady vote-share gains into power, and a Left Front attempting an unlikely revival through new leadership and grassroots mobilisation.

At the heart of this election lies a layered political narrative—anti-incumbency versus welfare politics, regional identity versus national ambition, and leadership charisma versus organisational expansion. The contest is not just about seats; it is about who defines Bengal’s political future: a leader who has dominated the state’s politics for over a decade, or challengers seeking to redraw its ideological map.

The campaign has already thrown up high-voltage face-offs, generational shifts, and ideological contrasts. From legacy politicians defending their turf to emerging leaders trying to reshape their parties’ fortunes, a handful of names stand out; not just as candidates, but as symbols of the larger political battle unfolding across the state.

Here are 10 key figures who will define the 2026 Bengal elections:

1. Mamata Banerjee: The chief minister, who will fight from the Bhabanipur seat, is seeking to extend her long tenure. Her campaign is built on welfare schemes and strong personal connect. Leading the Trinamool Congress into the electoral battlefield, Banerjee faces anti-incumbency and corruption attacks from rivals.

2. Firhad Hakim: The senior Trinamool Congress leader, currently serving as Kolkata Mayor and a key minister in the state government, is one of Mamata Banerjee’s closest aides. He holds sway in Kolkata’s minority-dominated constituencies and is known for his organisational control and grassroots connect in urban Bengal. He recently stirred debate by saying “one day 50 per cent of Bengal will speak Urdu", drawing criticism regarding the preservation of Bengali culture.

3. Aroop Biswas: Set to fight from the Tollygunge seat, Biswas is a veteran leader with a strong local base who represents TMC’s entrenched urban network

4. Sashi Panja: The senior minister and articulate TMC spokesperson is important for the party’s outreach among urban and educated voters.

5. Suvendu Adhikari: A high-profile challenger to Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari was a former TMC insider who has now become BJP’s biggest state face, symbolising the party’s aggressive push in Bengal.

6. Dilip Ghosh: The former state BJP president is known for his grassroots mobilisation and hardline rhetoric.

7. Roopa Ganguly: The celebrity politician with a strong recall value helps BJP connect with urban middle-class voters.

8. Priyanka Tibrewal: A young, media-savvy leader, she represents BJP’s attempt to build a new urban leadership base.

9. Humayun Kabir: The suspended TMC leader who is contesting from Rejinagar was in the news recently for building a replica of the Babri Masjid in West Bengal. Currently an MLA from Bharatpur, he left the TMC in 2025 and formed his own political organisation, the Aam Janata Unnayan Party. He had earlier aligned with Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM before deciding to contest independently.

10. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: Senior Congress leader and one of the party’s most prominent faces in West Bengal, especially in the Murshidabad region, Chowdhury is known for his aggressive and often combative style against both the BJP and TMC. A fierce Mamata critic, he faced some flak from within his own party for his campaign against her, especially when the Congress was trying to woo the TMC chief for a pan-India alliance. As Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha earlier, Chowdhury held a high national profile. But over time, regional compulsions (like working with TMC in Parliament) began to outweigh state-level rivalries, pushing him to the sidelines.

News elections From Mamata Banerjee To Suvendu Adhikari, Meet Top 10 Power Players Who Will Shape Bengal Polls

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