KOLKATA — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday finalized its electoral slate for the West Bengal Assembly polls, releasing its sixth and final list of candidates. The headline announcement was the nomination of Rakesh Singh for the high-profile Kolkata Port constituency.
The timing of the nomination is particularly significant, coming just 24 hours after Singh was granted bail by the High Court of Calcutta. The judicial reprieve followed a submission by the BJP to a bench led by Justice Kausik Chanda, explicitly stating the party’s intent to field Singh in the upcoming elections.
A Battle for a TMC Stronghold
The Kolkata Port seat is poised for a formidable contest. Singh will face off against the incumbent, Firhad Hakim—the Mayor of Kolkata and a senior State Cabinet Minister. Hakim has maintained a firm grip on the constituency since 2011, the year the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) first ascended to power.
Kolkata Port remains a traditional TMC bastion, characterized by its unique demographic profile. Following the delimitation of the former Garden Reach seat, the constituency is composed of eight municipal wards where the Muslim community constitutes the majority. Notably, the BJP is the only major political entity to field a Hindu candidate in this race. Historical data shows that since 1952, only two Hindu candidates—Arun Sen (CPI) and Chhedi Lal Singh (CPI-M)—have successfully captured the seat, with those victories occurring in the 1960s and 70s.
Controversy and Legal Hurdles
Rakesh Singh, a former member of the West Bengal Congress who was expelled in 2018, carries a complex political and legal history. He was arrested by Kolkata Police last year following an incident on August 28, 2025. During that event, BJP workers allegedly defaced posters of Rahul Gandhi and set fire to Congress hoardings in retaliation for perceived insults directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the "Vote Adhikar Yatra" in Bihar.
During the bail proceedings, the state government vehemently opposed Singh’s release, characterizing him as a "history-sheeter" with over 50 criminal cases to his name. Despite these allegations, the court's decision has cleared the path for his political bid. Singh has notably remained silent, declining media interaction immediately following the announcement.
BJP Finalizes its Bengal Campaign
With this final list, the BJP has officially named candidates for all 294 seats in the West Bengal Assembly. The party began its staggered rollout on March 16 with an initial list of 144 names. The current roster includes 291 party members and three non-BJP nominees receiving the party's official backing.
Kolkata Port will head to the polls during the final phase of the elections on April 29, marking a critical conclusion to one of the most closely watched regional contests in recent history.
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