West Bengal elections 2026: RG Kar victim’s mother, BJP candidate Ratna Debnath leads in Panihati

New Delhi: BJP candidate Ratna Debnath, mother of RG Kar rape victim, is currently leading in the Panihati Assembly constituency of North 24 Parganas. The Panihati seat has become one of the most closely watched contests in the West Bengal elections, with Debnath facing off against TMC candidate Tirthankar Ghosh, the son of a five-time sitting MLA. The constituency falls under the Dumdum Lok Sabha seat and includes wards 1-14, 16, 17 and 22 of Panihati city.The battle in Panihati has attracted intense attention from the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, with extensive campaigning across the constituency. Ratna Debnath decided to run out of memory of her daughter and concerns for women’s safety. Debnath had earlier said: “I have chosen to fight in this election for my daughter and for women whose safety is being threatened by the TMC government. Mamata Banerjee Her corrupt party leaders are responsible for my daughter’s death. When I reached out to vote, people welcomed me and assured me of their support. I lost my daughter but I wanted to serve people and help them. I may not be a doctor like her, but as a representative, I want to continue her mission. “Against this backdrop, Panihati has emerged as a high-risk constituency, where concerns about governance, accountability and women’s safety are intertwined with established political loyalties. The results are being watched closely across West Bengal as the tally progresses.Elsewhere in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee is ahead of BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.According to Electoral Commission trends, bjp Leading by 121 seats, the Trinamool Congress is ahead by 71 seats and its ally BGPM by one seat.West Bengal recorded an impressive turnout of 91.66% in the second phase of the assembly elections, the highest turnout since independence. The voting participation rate in the first phase was 93.19%, and the total voting rate was 92.47%.