The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its much-awaited second list of candidates for the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026. After announcing 144 names in the first phase, the party revealed another 111 candidates on Thursday, leaving just 45 seats for the final announcement. This list, finalized after high-level meetings chaired by PM Narendra Modi in Delhi, features several strategic surprises aimed at challenging the ruling TMC.

The inclusion of actor-politician Hiran Chatterjee and Sandeshkhali protester Rekha Patra has become the talk of the town. While Hiran is expected to take on a significant challenge in a new constituency, Rekha Patra’s nomination underscores the BJP’s intent to capitalize on the public sentiment regarding Sandeshkhali. The list also sees prominent names like Arjun Singh, Koustav Bagchi, and Tapas Roy, signaling a strong focus on high-voltage battles across key districts.

Internal sources suggest that the party has prioritized local popularity and performance metrics from the previous general elections. With 255 candidates now out in the open, the battle lines are clearly drawn. The remaining 45 seats are expected to be announced soon, but for now, the buzz around names like Nishit Pramanik and Roopa Ganguly in the 2nd list has already set the tone for a fierce political showdown in Bengal.