NDA alliance cracks in Purulia as AJSU decides to contest all nine seats independently

A rift has emerged within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Purulia ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) deciding to contest all nine assembly seats in the district independently. The development has effectively disrupted the alliance’s local seat-sharing arrangement and introduced a new dynamic to the electoral battle in the region.

According to party sources, AJSU leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed seat-sharing formula and chose to field their own candidates across Purulia rather than contest under the alliance framework. The decision signals a shift in strategy as the party attempts to strengthen its political footprint in the border districts of West Bengal, particularly areas with close social and cultural links to neighbouring Jharkhand.

Purulia district holds nine assembly constituencies, making it a strategically important area in the state’s 294-seat legislative assembly. () The move by AJSU is expected to intensify the electoral contest in the Junglemahal belt, where regional and tribal political sentiments often influence voting patterns.

Political observers believe the split within the NDA could reshape the local contest, as multiple parties now prepare to field candidates in the district. With campaigning gaining momentum ahead of the polls, the decision by AJSU to go solo in Purulia is likely to add further uncertainty to the electoral equations in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.