Birbhum is seen as a battleground district in the state. The TMC has won most seats uncontested in the past, but the BJP is now making inroads, capitalizing on dissatisfaction with the ruling party.
The BJP claimed that around 200 tribal women from Tapan in South Dinajpur district had joined the party on Thursday. Four of them, however, yielded to the TMC’s alleged threats and returned to the ruling party following which they were forced to perform the parikrama