Kolkata, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal has ruled out any alliance or seat-sharing arrangement with the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI) for the upcoming elections to seven urban civic bodies, including the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC).
Speculation about a possible BJP-NCPI understanding had intensified in recent days after some members of the group of 20 Lok Sabha MPs who switched from the Trinamool Congress to the NCPI reportedly indicated that the party was interested in a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP. The speculation was linked to the NCPI’s association with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
However, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya, along with former state BJP president and Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar, ruled out the possibility of any electoral understanding with the NCPI.
Bhattacharya said the BJP had won the West Bengal Assembly elections on its own strength and would contest the civic polls independently.
“The BJP did not come to power in the state at the mercy of anyone. The party will contest alone and form the boards in both the KMC and HMC on its own strength,” he said.
Asked whether former Trinamool Congress councillors in the KMC had expressed an interest in contesting as BJP candidates, Bhattacharya said neither he nor the state party leadership had any information about such developments.
Majumdar, who is overseeing the BJP’s preparations for the KMC elections, said polling would cover all 209 wards of the corporation and that the party would field candidates in every ward.
He said the state leadership was taking particular care in selecting candidates, with priority to be given to individuals with clean public images and broad acceptance among voters.
Majumdar also indicated that preference would be given to party workers who had stood by the BJP during difficult periods.
Elections to the seven urban civic bodies in West Bengal are expected to take place in the last week of November, with results likely to be announced in the first week of December. The BJP is expected to announce its candidate list in October.
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