BJP candidate Debangshu Panda secured a massive victory in the Falta Assembly repoll, defeating CPI(M)’s Sambhu Nath Kurmi by more than one lakh votes.
May 24, 2026: Debangshu Panda registered a sweeping victory in the Falta Assembly repoll on Sunday, defeating his nearest rival by a margin of more than one lakh votes. The BJP candidate secured 1,49,666 votes, while CPI(M) candidate Sambhu Nath Kurmi received 40,645 votes, leaving a massive gap of 1,09,021 votes between the two. Congress candidate Abdur Razzak Molla finished third with 10,084 votes, while TMC nominee Jahangir Khan managed only around 7,783 votes after publicly withdrawing from active campaigning earlier in the week.
With the BJP’s victory in Falta, the party’s tally in the West Bengal Assembly has risen from 207 to 208, although the effective strength remains unchanged after Suvendu Adhikari vacated the Nandigram seat following his decision to retain Bhabanipur. Until recently, Falta had been projected by the All India Trinamool Congress as a major symbol of its organisational dominance in the politically influential Diamond Harbour belt. The constituency became the focus of intense political confrontation between the BJP and TMC during the campaign.
The election turned controversial after the April 29 polling, when complaints emerged regarding alleged use of perfume-like substances, unusual ink markings and adhesive tapes on EVMs at several booths. The Election Commission of India later ordered a repoll following allegations of violence and disturbances during voting. The controversy also saw a public confrontation between Jahangir Khan and IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, who had been deputed by the Election Commission as police observer, after voters accused TMC workers of placing black tape over names on EVMs.