 In the 2011 election, Abdul Karim Chowdhury of Trinamool Congress defeated his nearest rival Sayeda Farhat Afroz of CPI(M).Kanaia Lal Agarwal, Chairman of Islampur municipality, run by the Congress, was the rebel Congress candidate who contested as an Independent from Islampur.He was suspended from the party but the Raiganj MP, Deepa Dasmunsi, campaigned for him.