West Bengal Assembly election 2021, Kanthi Dakshin profile: TMC has been winning seat since 2001

The Kanthi Dakshin Assembly constituency, previously known as Contai South, is a part of the Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency. The Assembly seat has been held by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) since 2001.

Incumbent MLA Chandrima Bhattacharya won the seat in the 2017 bypoll by a margin of 42,526 votes. Prior to Bhattacharya's election, TMC’s Dibyendu Adhikari represented the seat from 2009 till he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2016.

Dibyendu’s father Sisir Adhikari had won the seat in 2001, while his brother Suvendu Adhikari won the subsequent 2006 election.

Voter turnout in previous election

In the 2017 by-election, Kanthi Dakshin recorded a voter turnout of 82.01 percent and 1,70,622 voters exercised their franchise. During the 2016 Assembly election, the constituency had witnessed 84.91 percent voter turnout.

Past election results and winners

In the 2017 bypoll, Chandrima Bhattacharya of the TMC garnered 95,369 votes. BJP runner-up Sourindramohon Jana polled 52,843 votes, while CPI’s Uttam Pradhan came third with 17,423 votes.

During the 2016 election, the TMC had polled 93,359 votes, while CPI was the runner-up with 59,469 votes.

The Kanthi Dakshin constituency comprises Kanthi municipality, Kanthi-I community development block, and Durmuth and Kusumpur gram panchayats of Kanthi-III community development block. In 2016, Kanthi Dakshin had a total of 2,04,691 registered electors and 258 polling stations.

As per the final electoral roll published by the Election Commission in January, there are 7,34,07,832 electors in West Bengal.

The 2021 West Bengal Assembly election will be held in eight phases. While the first phase will be held on 27 March, the second will be held on 1 April and the third will be held on 6 April. The dates for the remaining phases are: 10, 17, 22, 26 and 29 April. The results will be declared on 2 May.