Kolkata: Ahead of the West Bengal polls 2026, slated to be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, the BJP on Wednesday announced its third list of 19 candidates, with Ratna Debnath, the mother of the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder victim Abhaya, has been fielded from the Panihati Assembly constituency. Earlier in January 2026, she had declined political offers, signalling a change in approach amid continued concerns over justice and safety.Her decision is understood to be driven by concerns over women’s safety and alleged systemic failures, with the RG Kar case having triggered nationwide outrage and protests.The 2024 incident at RG Kar Medical College exposed lapses in institutional security and led to widespread demonstrations demanding accountability and reforms.
The Panihati seat, located in North 24 Parganas district, has been held by TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh since 2011.
In the third list, the saffron party named 19 candidates for different constituencies across the state. Ratna Debnath has been given the ticket from Panihati, while Rathindra Nath Bose will contest from Cooch Behar South. Dinesh Sarkar has been fielded from Rajganj (SC) and Chitrajit Roy from Islampur.The BJP had earlier released two lists of candidates. In the first list, the party announced 144 names, followed by 111 candidates in the second list. The party has also fielded Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram and Bhabanipur, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to contest. The results for the 294-seat Assembly will be announced on May 4.