Balarampur election results 2026: BJP's Jaladhar Mahato defeats TMC's Shantiram Mahato in West Bengal
In the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election for Balarampur (239), Jaladhar Mahato of the Bharatiya Janata Party secured victory with 1,18,421 votes, defeating All India Trinamool Congress candidate Shantiram Mahato, who polled 83,370 votes. The BJP won by a margin of 35,051 votes in a clear contest. CPI(M)’s Namita Mahato finished a distant third with 6,575 votes, while Congress and other candidates remained far behind. NOTA accounted for 2,374 votes.
Balarampur (constituency no. 239) is located in Purulia district and forms part of the Purulia Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency is predominantly rural, covering the Balarampur community development block and parts of Purulia I and Arsa community development blocks. The Ajodhya Hills, a scenic hill range popular with tourists, lie in the Balarampur-Baghmundi area. The district as a whole is among the more economically backward in West Bengal.
In 2021, BJP's Baneswar Mahato won by an extremely narrow margin of just 423 votes over TMC's Shantiram Mahato, making it one of the closest contests in the state that year. In 2016, the TMC's Shantiram Mahato won the seat. The 2026 contest is thus a direct rematch between the 2021 winner and runner-up, with Shantiram Mahato seeking revenge for his narrow 2021 defeat. Congress has nominated Sukanta Mahato, which could split the anti-BJP vote. Given the razor-thin margin in 2021, Balarampur is one of the most keenly contested seats in Purulia district and its outcome could hinge on just a few hundred votes.
Balarampur (constituency no. 239) is located in Purulia district and forms part of the Purulia Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency is predominantly rural, covering the Balarampur community development block and parts of Purulia I and Arsa community development blocks. The Ajodhya Hills, a scenic hill range popular with tourists, lie in the Balarampur-Baghmundi area. The district as a whole is among the more economically backward in West Bengal.
In 2021, BJP's Baneswar Mahato won by an extremely narrow margin of just 423 votes over TMC's Shantiram Mahato, making it one of the closest contests in the state that year. In 2016, the TMC's Shantiram Mahato won the seat. The 2026 contest is thus a direct rematch between the 2021 winner and runner-up, with Shantiram Mahato seeking revenge for his narrow 2021 defeat. Congress has nominated Sukanta Mahato, which could split the anti-BJP vote. Given the razor-thin margin in 2021, Balarampur is one of the most keenly contested seats in Purulia district and its outcome could hinge on just a few hundred votes.
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