West Bengal Polls 2026: Dipsita Dhar trails in Dum Dum Uttar constituency, BJP's Sourav Sikdar leads

DIpsita Dhar, a commie company of bharat (Marxist) early days leader and All-India articulate Secretary of the SFI, is trailing from the Dum Dum Uttar constituency, while the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sourav Sikdar is leading.One of the most articulate and recognisable young faces of the Left in India, Dhar is a central pillar of the CPI(M)’s strategy to replace the ageing guard with a new generation of firebrand activists who can challenge the TMC-BJP binary in the state’s urban heartlands.ALSO READ: Rising through grassroots, Dipsita Dhar stands tall in West Bengal despite electoral losses | 5 facts about herDhar previously made a high-voltage debut in 2021 and took a spirited run in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Serampore.In Dum Dum Uttar – a seat that has seen a sharp TMC vs BJP contest in recent years – she framed the election as a battle for "dignified employment and scientific education," frequently attacking the ruling TMC over the recruitment scams and the BJP over the centralisation of education.Her campaign was centred on "Neighborhood Clinics," better drainage infrastructure for the North 24 Parganas belt, and the creation of IT hubs to prevent the migration of local talent.She has positioned herself as a "representative of the struggling youth," using her PhD background to present data-driven critiques of state policies. If elected, she has promised to establish a "Constituency Education Fund" to support students from economically weaker sections.Who is Dipsita Dhar?Born on August 9, 1993, in Howrah, Dipsita Dhar is the daughter of Pijush Dhar and Dipika Thakur Chakraborty. She is the granddaughter of Padmanidhi Dhar, a three-time former MLA from Domjur.Dhar holds a BA in Geography from Asutosh College, Kolkata, and an MA, MPhil, and PhD in Population Geography from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).Her political journey began with Kishore Bahini before she became a powerhouse in JNU student politics, eventually serving as the unit secretary of SFI JNU and later rising to national prominence as the SFI’s All-India Joint Secretary.Dhar's affidavit for the 2026 polls mentions a single pending FIR from 2024, which is related to a protest in Kolkata, involving charges of "unlawful assembly."Also read | JNUTA opposes 5 per cent ward quota at JNU, terms move 'regressive'About Dipsita Dhar's opponentChandrima Bhattacharya (Trinamool Congress): She is the incumbent MLA from Dum Dum Uttar and is the current minister of state for finance (independent charge). She is a veteran leader and one of the senior most female figures in Mamata Banerjee's Cabinet.Sourav Sikdar (Bharatiya Janata Party): The BJP has fielded Sikdar to capitalise on the urban vote in this segment, making it a closely watched three-way fight.About Dum Dum Uttar ConstituencyThe Dum Dum Uttar constituency, a suburban segment in North 24 Parganas, is a historically significant seat with a mix of industrial history and a large middle-class refugee population.Polling in Dum Dum Uttar took place in the second phase of the West Bengal elections, with Dhar banking on her "Red Volunteer" legacy and her image as a national-level youth icon to secure her first legislative win.What Happened in the Previous Elections?In the 2021 assembly elections, Dipsita Dhar made her electoral debut from the Bally constituency. In a three-way fight, she finished third with 22,040 votes (17.7%), losing the seat to TMC’s Rana Chatterjee. Despite the loss, her campaign was noted for its massive digital reach and youth mobilisation.ALSO READ: ‘Left to make comeback, TMC, BJP politics stuck in mandir–masjid': Fiery Bengal candidate Dipsita Dhar | ExclusiveIn the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, she contested from Serampore, where she significantly increased the Left’s visibility, though she ultimately lost to TMC veteran Kalyan Banerjee.(With inputs from local bureaus and ECI affidavits)