Kolkata, May 4: Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced another electoral setback on Monday as she was defeated by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, in the Bhabanipur constituency. Adhikari secured victory by a margin of 15,114 votes, marking the second time he has bested Banerjee in a high-profile contest.

This defeat follows Banerjee’s loss to Adhikari in Nandigram during the 2021 assembly elections, where she was edged out by a margin of less than 2,000 votes. In 2026, Adhikari contested from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, winning both seats. His margin in Nandigram this time was 9,000 votes, smaller than his Bhabanipur victory.

Speaking to the media after his win, Adhikari recalled his earlier prediction that he would defeat Mamata Banerjee again, just as he had in Nandigram. “That has happened exactly this time,” he said. He noted that while he did not secure Muslim votes in Bhabanipur, support from other communities ensured his victory. He added that his margin in Nandigram was lower due to a higher percentage of Muslim voters there.

Mamata Banerjee’s defeat is historically significant. She becomes the second sitting Chief Minister in West Bengal to lose an election, following late Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was defeated in 2011 from his traditional Jadavpur constituency by Trinamool Congress candidate Manish Gupta. Bhattacharjee refrained from contesting further elections until his death in 2024.

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Banerjee, who ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule in 2011 and led the Trinamool Congress for three consecutive terms, now faces the reality of two consecutive defeats at the hands of her former confidant. Adhikari, once considered her close aide, has emerged as a formidable force in Bengal politics, symbolizing the BJP’s rise in the state.

The Bhabanipur result underscores the shifting political dynamics in West Bengal, with Adhikari’s victories cementing his stature as the BJP’s most prominent leader in the state. For Mamata Banerjee, the twin defeats mark a dramatic reversal of fortunes, highlighting the challenges ahead for the Trinamool Congress in reclaiming its lost ground.