Voters in West Bengal’s Falta Assembly constituency turned out in large numbers on Thursday, with polling crossing 86.11% by 5 pm in a re-election overshadowed by the dramatic withdrawal of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan two days earlier.
Khan’s exit from the contest was widely seen as giving the ruling BJP a virtual walkover in the politically sensitive seat.
The repoll passed off peacefully amid heavy deployment of central forces and long queues outside polling booths, with no major incidents reported.
Reacting to the high turnout, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari thanked the people of Falta and said visuals from the constituency resembled a festival.
If the BJP wins Falta, its tally for the 2026 Assembly polls would rise to 208, although operationally its Assembly strength would remain 207 following Adhikari's decision to vacate Nandigram after retaining Bhabanipur.
Voters in West Bengal’s Falta Assembly constituency turned out in large numbers on Thursday, with polling crossing 86.11% by 5 pm in a re-election overshadowed by the dramatic withdrawal of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan two days earlier.
Khan’s exit from the contest was widely seen as giving the ruling BJP a virtual walkover in the politically sensitive seat.
The repoll passed off peacefully amid heavy deployment of central forces and long queues outside polling booths, with no major incidents reported. However, the focus remained on the political fallout from Khan’s sudden withdrawal rather than the voting itself.
The repoll stemmed from controversy surrounding the April 29 election, when complaints surfaced from several booths, alleging perfume-like substances and adhesive tapes had been applied to EVMs.
The Election Commission subsequently ordered a repoll in Falta even as results for the remaining 293 assembly constituencies had already been declared on May 4, with the BJP scripting a historic victory and coming to power in West Bengal for the first time.
Election officials said 86.11 per cent of the 2.36 lakh electorate had cast their votes till 5 pm, marginally lower than the 86.71 per cent recorded till the same hour in the original polling on April 29.
Reacting to the high turnout, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari thanked the people of Falta and said visuals from the constituency resembled a festival.
"From the visuals, it appears people are taking part in a festival. Such a turnout in a repoll is really unprecedented," he said.
Khan's exit significantly altered the political arithmetic around Falta.
The BJP, already projecting confidence of an emphatic victory, sees the constituency as a near-certain addition to its assembly tally after the TMC nominee stepped out of the contest before repolling.
If the BJP wins Falta, its tally for the 2026 Assembly polls would rise to 208, although operationally its Assembly strength would remain 207 following Adhikari's decision to vacate Nandigram after retaining Bhabanipur.
