Since 2011, the Kolkata Port constituency, formerly known as Garden Reach, has consistently favored the Trinamool Congress in elections. West Bengal Minister Firhad (Bobby) Hakim has secured victory with significant margins in all three assembly polls, garnering over 50% of the vote share each time. In the past, dock mafias heavily influenced voting patterns in the area, which saw power shifts between CPI(M) and Congress before 2011.
Veteran political analysts highlight that from 1952 to 2011, dock mafias in the region lacked fixed political alliances, leading to frequent changes in power dynamics. However, since 2011, political loyalties have remained stable, resulting in one-sided election outcomes in Kolkata Port. Presently, Hakim, representing Trinamool, holds a strong position, with all eight Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillors in the constituency belonging to his party.
The main electoral competition in Kolkata Port lies between Trinamool and CPI(M), with the BJP yet to announce its candidate. CPI(M) has put forward Faiyaz Khan, a former councillor who enjoys popularity among a significant voter segment in this minority-dominated area. Two key challenges that Hakim and Trinamool face this time include a recent building collapse tragedy that claimed nine lives, and the deletion of a substantial number of voters from the constituency’s final electoral list.
