Ratna Debnath, the mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, and Rekha Patra, the face of the Sandeshkhali protests, both projected as symbols of the BJP’s campaign against atrocities on women in West Bengal, registered comfortable victories over their Trinamool Congress rivals.

Debnath, a political newcomer, defeated the Trinamool Congress’ Tirthankar Ghosh by 28,836 votes, securing 87,977 votes in the Panihati Assembly segment.