Uttam Barik of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) is the current MLA for Patashpur Assembly constituency in Purba Medinipur district. He secured victory in the 2021 election with 105,299 votes (50.42per cent share), defeating BJP's Ambujaksha Mahanti (95,305 votes) by a margin of 9,994 votes amid 91.61per cent turnout. Persistent rural unemployment drives youth migration, while agricultural woes like low groundwater, erratic rainfall, and inadequate irrigation plague farmers reliant on paddy and aquaculture. Poor waste management, illegal firecracker units causing blasts, and environmental strain from coastal tourism add to challenges. This general seat (No. 212) spans Patashpur I CD block and parts of Patashpur II, falling under Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency—won by BJP's Soumendu Adhikari in 2024 over Barik. AITC has held it since 2011 after CPI dominance; prior MLAs include Jyotirmoy Kar. Economy hinges on farming, fishing, and salt pans. Polls scheduled for April 2026.