Barricades outside Mamata Banerjee’s Kolkata residence removed, lane reopens after Bengal power shift

Security Scaled Down, Area Reopens

The guardrails at the entrance of Harish Chatterjee Street in the Kalighat area were lifted as the downgrading of Banerjee’s security cover began on Tuesday.

The road opposite the Kalighat Temple wore an eerie silence following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s landslide victory in West Bengal.

The BJP is set to form its maiden government in the state with 207 seats, while Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress managed 80.

Adhikari Defeats Banerjee in Bhabanipur

In a result that has sent shockwaves through West Bengal’s political landscape, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari defeated Banerjee in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency by 15,114 votes, ending her long-held dominance over one of Kolkata’s most symbolic political battlegrounds.

The verdict, declared after a tense and closely watched counting process, marks one of the most dramatic upsets of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and delivers a major psychological blow to the TMC.

Bhabanipur: A Political Stronghold Falls

Bhabanipur is not just another constituency in Bengal politics—it has been Banerjee’s political home for over a decade.

The Chief Minister has contested and represented the seat in previous elections, making it a symbol of her leadership in Kolkata and beyond.

The constituency has long been seen as a TMC fortress, with deep organisational roots and strong urban voter support—making Adhikari’s victory particularly significant, both politically and symbolically.