In the fertile delta lands of East Midnapore, Moyna assembly constituency stands as a testament to West Bengal’s shifting political tides. Once a bastion of Left parties, this rural seat has witnessed dramatic changes, especially with the BJP’s surprising surge in recent years.
Established in 1951, Moyna has been part of every assembly election in the state. The CPI(M) dominated early decades, securing six victories, while CPI clinched five and Congress three. The tide turned in 2011 when TMC’s Bhushan Chandra Dolai defeated CPI(M)’s Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by nearly 10,000 votes. Dolai held on in 2016, beating Congress’s Manik Bhowmik by over 12,000 votes.
The real shock came in 2021. Former cricketer Ashok Dinda, running for BJP, edged out TMC’s Sangram Kumar Dolui by a razor-thin margin of 1,260 votes. BJP’s vote share skyrocketed from a meager 2.59% in 2011 and 3.24% in 2016 to a commanding presence in 2021.
This momentum carried to the Lok Sabha level in Tamluk. TMC led in 2009 and 2014, but BJP’s share jumped from 1.53% to 42.70% by 2019. In 2024, BJP outpolled TMC by nearly 10,000 votes, signaling deep inroads in Moyna’s villages.
Voter turnout remains impressively high: 90.67% in 2011, 87.40% in 2016, and 88.09% in 2021 for assembly polls. Lok Sabha figures were slightly lower at 85.16% in 2019 and 84.04% in 2024. The electorate has grown to 268,091 in 2024 from 196,999 in 2011, with Scheduled Castes at 22.15% and Muslims at 11.10%. Over 95% are rural voters.
Moyna’s legacy traces to the Moyangarh Fort, a strategic marvel near ancient Tamralipta port, defended by kings against Bengal sultans. Today, its ruins, temples, and moats evoke a glorious past amid lush fields fed by Haldi, Rupnarayan, and other rivers.
Agriculture thrives on paddy, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables, bolstered by fish farming that employs thousands. Floods and cyclones pose risks, but embankments provide relief. Connected by roads and rails to Tamluk, Kolaghat, and Kolkata (90-96 km away), Moyna eyes 2026.
As BJP builds on its 2021 and 2024 gains, TMC aims to reclaim this key seat. Rural voters in this delta heartland will decide the battle.