Ratua Assembly Election 2026: Profile and Candidate List

Constituency Overview & Geography

Ratua Assembly Constituency, numbered AC 48, is a general (unreserved) seat in Malda district, covering the Ratua I and Ratua II Community Development Blocks. Ratua sits in the western central belt of Malda, between the Malatipur and English Bazar zones. It is a predominantly rural constituency with a mixed Hindu-Muslim demographic — not as overwhelmingly minority-dominated as Malatipur, but with a significant Muslim presence.

Rice cultivation, sericulture, and the mango trade (Ratua falls within Malda's mango belt) are the economic pillars. The constituency has pockets of small-scale brick kiln operations and agricultural processing, giving it a modest non-farming economic base.

Ratua Assembly Constituency falls under the Maldaha Uttar Lok Sabha constituency.

Voter & Demographic Profile

Population is approximately 3,20,000 (2011 Census), almost entirely rural. SC population is moderate. The constituency has a roughly balanced Hindu-Muslim demographic with the Muslim majority concentrated in the Ratua II block areas.

In 2021: TMC won. In 2019 Lok Sabha, BJP won the Maldaha Uttar seat strongly, but Ratua segment showed a more competitive picture.

Approx. Registered Voters: ~2,60,000 Polling Stations: ~270

Full Election History (2001–2021)

Ratua has historically been one of the most balanced, swing-prone seats in Malda — with INC and CPI(M) each winning it four times since 1977. This equal split reflects the constituency's demographic balance between communities that traditionally voted differently.

2001 — Left Victory CPI(M) won Ratua in 2001, reflecting the Left's peak organisational strength in the western panchayat belt.

2006 — Left Again CPI(M) retained Ratua in 2006. The agricultural worker base and panchayat machinery held firm.

2011 — Congress Comes Back As Congress swept Malda in 2011, Ratua flipped to INC. The Muslim majority areas and Hindu Congress-voting families combined to give Congress the seat.

2016 — Congress Holds INC retained Ratua in 2016 by a comfortable margin. The Congress candidate benefited from the simultaneous LF-Congress convergence in Malda.

2021 — TMC's Samar Mukherjee Wins In 2021, Samar Mukherjee of TMC won Ratua, defeating BJP's Abhishek Singhania (runner-up) and INC's Khatun Najema (third). The result followed the pattern seen across northern Bengal: TMC absorbed minority votes that had previously gone to Congress, while BJP consolidated much of the Hindu vote. Congress was squeezed out.

2026 Candidate Profiles

TMC Candidate: Samar Mukherjee — Sitting MLA Returns TMC has re-nominated Samar Mukherjee, the sitting MLA, showing confidence in his incumbency. His campaign will focus on welfare delivery record and Ratua's rural development projects.

BJP Candidate: Abhishek Singhania — Repeat Challenger BJP has again fielded Abhishek Singhania, the 2021 runner-up. Singhania's familiarity with the constituency from the last campaign is an asset. The Hindu vote consolidation narrative and anti-incumbency against TMC are his primary tools.

Key Watchpoint: INC's Khatun Najema finished third in 2021. In 2026, if Congress fields a Muslim woman candidate again in a minority-significant constituency, the vote split could dramatically affect the outcome.

Quick Reference Card — Ratua AC 48

Parameter	Details
AC Number	48
District	Malda
Seat Type	General (Unreserved)
Lok Sabha Segment	Maldaha Uttar
Approx. Registered Voters	~2,60,000
2021 Winner	Samar Mukherjee (TMC)
2021 Runner-up	Abhishek Singhania (BJP)
2026 TMC Candidate	Samar Mukherjee (sitting MLA)
2026 BJP Candidate	Abhishek Singhania
Voting Phase 2026	Phase 1 — April 23, 2026
Result Date	May 4, 2026

Note: Candidate lists are based on latest available announcements and may change as parties release final confirmations. As of now, official candidate names for Ratua constituency in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Election have not been fully announced. Major parties like TMC, BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) are expected to contest.