Kolkata, March 14: The Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency, located in Howrah district of West Bengal, is a significant parliamentary region known for its rich political history, cultural heritage, and economic activities. Established in 1952, Uluberia comprises seven assembly segments: Uluberia East, Uluberia North (SC), Uluberia South, Shyampur, Bagnan, Amta, and Udaynarayanpur. According to the 2011 census, the population stands at approximately 2.05 million, with 69.55% urban and 30.45% rural demographics. The Scheduled Caste population is 19.63%, while the Scheduled Tribe population is minimal at 0.15%. The 2017 voter list recorded around 1.54 million voters, with Bengali as the primary language, along with English and Urdu spoken in the area.
Howrah district is Kolkata’s twin city, with Uluberia serving as its gateway. The region boasts a history spanning 500 years, linked to the ancient Bhurshut empire. Venetian traveler Cesare Federici mentioned ‘Bator’, now known as Bator area, in 1578. During British rule, the East India Company established villages here. The Uluberia-II block, covering 72.21 square kilometers, is semi-urban, housing jute mills and small industries, with 30% of the population reliant on agriculture. The area includes eight gram panchayats, such as Banibhan, Basudevpur, and Jorgori, with a literacy rate of 78.05% as of 2011.
Uluberia is also renowned for its musical instrument cluster, spread across villages like Dhulasimla, Rangmahal, Maikhali, and Dadpur. This cluster, which began post-independence, is among the largest in the country, producing instruments like sitars, sarods, guitars, and tanpuras, which are in demand both nationally and internationally due to their melodious sound and quality. This craftsmanship has been a part of the region’s cultural heritage for generations.
Historically, Uluberia was a bastion of the Congress party, but the Forward Bloc claimed victory in 1957. The Communist Party (CPI-M) gained a stronghold in the 1960s and 70s, with leaders like Hannan Mollah serving as MPs from 1980 to 2004. In 2009, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) turned the tide, with Sultan Ahmed defeating CPI-M. Following Ahmed’s death in 2017, his wife, Sajda Ahmed, won the by-election.
In the 2019 elections, Sajda Ahmed secured victory with 694,945 votes, while BJP’s Joy Banerjee came in second. In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sajda Ahmed (TMC) is expected to maintain her stronghold, having received 724,622 votes (52.10%), compared to BJP’s Arunoday Palchoudhury with 505,949 votes (36.38%) and Congress’s Azhar Mallik with 78,589 votes. TMC remains in a robust position in the constituency.
As of 2026, preparations for the assembly elections are in full swing. TMC has a history of consecutive victories in seats like Uluberia East, North, and South, but the BJP is posing a challenge. Recent reports indicate controversial incidents during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearings in the Uluberia block, leading to tensions over allegations of misuse of central agencies among political parties, with TMC staging statewide protests.