Siliguri residents have been witnessing the people outreach programmes initiated by both the Trinamul Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since Saturday. Although the General Assembly elections are scheduled for early 2026, political observers note that both parties have already begun reaching out to the public, clearly eyeing the crucial elections. TMC leader and Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb launched his outreach campaign in Ward No. 20 on Saturday, spending the night there and concluding his public engagement in the same ward on Sunday.

Mr Deb’s initiative, titled “Manusher Kachhe Chalo” (let’s go to the people), aims to connect with residents and address their grievances. Speaking to reporters, Mr Deb emphasised that the programme is unrelated to the 2026 elections. “I started this programme two and a half years ago, but it was discontinued due to unavoidable circumstances. Now, we have resumed it on behalf of the corporation to understand people’s demands and resolve their issues so that the corporation can serve them better,” he said. However, political observers speculate that Mr Deb may be preparing to contest the Assembly polls from the Siliguri segment, shifting from his previous constituency Dabgram-Fulbari.

Advertisement

Mr Deb was elected twice from Dabgram-Fulbari in 2011 and 2016 but lost to a BJP candidate in 2021, partly due to alleged inactivity on the part of some TMC leaders. Meanwhile, BJP leader and Siliguri MLA Sankar Ghosh visited Ward No. 18 on Sunday adopting a similar outreach approach. Mr Ghosh, who is also the chief whip of the Opposition in the State Assembly, criticised the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) for its lack of development works in underdeveloped areas. He highlighted issues such as poor drainage systems, congestion and the unhygienic conditions near Gandhi Memorial School in Ward No. 18, where a community latrine and a vat are located close to the school premises. Mr Ghosh claimed that he frequently visits various wards during his off-time to understand residents’ basic needs and allocate funds from his local area development fund for Corporation projects.

“I have allocated funds for development schemes, but I see no progress under the TMC regime. Instead, I see issues like drug addiction among youth and illegal constructions in corporation areas,” Ghosh remarked. Siliguri has been a politically significant constituency with shifting allegiances over the years. In 2011, TMC candidate Rabindranath Bhattacharya won the seat, but in 2016, CPI-M candidate Asok Bhattacharya, former urban development minister emerged victorious. In 2021, Asok Bhattacharya was defeated by his former disciple, Sankar Ghosh, who contested on a BJP ticket.

Interestingly, TMC candidate Om Prakash Mishra secured the second position in the last Assembly elections. Political sources suggest that Mr Ghosh is likely to contest the 2026 Assembly polls from Siliguri further intensifying the competition in the region. While both leaders have denied any direct connection between their outreach programmes and the upcoming elections, their activities indicate a clear focus on strengthening their political foothold in Siliguri. With the 2026 Assembly elections on the horizon, the political landscape in Siliguri is set to witness heightened activity and competition.