Patashpur assembly election results: BJP's Tapan Maity wrests TMC-held seat by 9,051 votes

NEW DELHI: Tapan Maity of the BJP defeated Trinamool Congress' Pijus Kanti Panda in Patashpur assembly constituency in West Bengal, where counting of votes was held on Monday.Maity polled 116,589 votes while Panda received 107,538 votes, according to the Election Commission.Uttam Barik of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) was the sitting MLA for Patashpur assembly constituency in Purba Medinipur district. He secured victory in the 2021 election with 105,299 votes (50.42%), defeating BJP's Ambujaksha Mahanti (95,305) by a margin of 9,994 votes amid 91.61% 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.