Howrah is counted among the important cities of West Bengal. Howrah Bridge is famous all over the world. A bridge built on the Hooghly river connects Howrah to Kolkata. There is a big railway station in Howrah. It connects the entire country through rail lines. Now metro service also started between Howrah and Esplanade of Kolkata. This metro passes through a tunnel built under the Hooghly River. This is the first metro tunnel, which passes under the river. Mangalahat, the famous textile market of Eastern India, is situated in Howrah, in which traders from Eastern India, especially the states of Jharkhand, Bihar and North Eastern India, buy readymade garments. Shivpur Engineering College located in Howrah is a leading institute in the field of education.
The thousands of years of heritage of the great Bengali kingdom of Bhurshut reside here. The Battle of Plassey has a very important place in the history of the country. After the defeat of Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ul-Daula, the East India Company had gained control over Howrah and the British had made an agreement with Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim regarding this.
Social fabric of Howrah seat
Howrah parliamentary seat is a Lok Sabha constituency in Howrah district, neighboring Kolkata. All the 7 assembly constituencies belonging to this Lok Sabha constituency are in Howrah district. There are more than 25 percent non-Bengali voters in this Lok Sabha constituency. From 1952 to 1998, this Lok Sabha constituency was sometimes controlled by the Congress and sometimes by the Left. For the first time in the year 1998, a Trinamool candidate had won here. Within a year, CPM regained the seat. However, since 2009, this seat is held by Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool. The current MP here is Prasun Banerjee.
There are seven assembly constituencies under Howrah Lok Sabha constituency – Bally, Howrah North, Howrah North, Shivpur, Howrah South, Sankrail and Panchla. In the Assembly elections 2021, Trinamool Congress candidates won all seven seats.
Howrah TMC has scored a hat-trick
Trinamool has fielded outgoing MP Prasun Banerjee as its candidate from this seat in 2024. CPM has made Sabyasachi Chatterjee its candidate. Whereas, Rathin Chakraborty will contest the elections on BJP ticket. Mamata Banerjee’s brother Swapan Banerjee also joined the protest against giving ticket to Prasun. Angered by him, Mamta said that she has no relation with her brother, but later Swapan Banerjee softened her tone. Now let’s see whether Trinamool is able to retain the seats it won in 2009 or not.
TMC maintained its victory in the year 2019
Prasun Banerjee was also made a candidate by Trinamool in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Rantidev Sengupta had contested the elections on BJP ticket. In the 1999 elections, the contest at this center was mainly between Trinamool and BJP. Trinamool candidate Prasun got 5 lakh 76 thousand 711 votes. Whereas BJP candidate Rantidev got 4 lakh 73 thousand 16 votes. Prasun Banerjee won by 1 lakh 3 thousand 695 votes. In the 2019 elections, 12 lakh 22 thousand 708 votes were cast at this centre.
TMC has been winning continuously in Howrah since 2009.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Ambika Banerjee had won this seat on Trinamool Congress ticket. Due to his death, by-election was held at this center in 2013. Former footballer Prasun Banerjee was a candidate from Trinamool Congress and won the election.
Trinamool Congress made him its candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Srideep Bhattacharya had contested the elections on CPM ticket. At the same time, BJP has made actor George Baker its candidate. Trinamool Congress candidate won by about 2 lakh votes. Winner Prasun Banerjee got Rs 4 lakh 88 thousand 461. Srideep Bhattacharya, who stood second, got 2 lakh 91 thousand 505 votes. George Baker, who stood third, got 2 lakh 48 thousand 120 votes. 11 lakh 25 thousand 728 voters had voted.
Howrah Lok Sabha seat has basically been a stronghold of Congress and CPI(M). CPI(M) and Congress MPs were elected from this parliamentary seat for a long time, but after 2009, TMC has taken hold of it.