June 4th 2024.
The recent Lok Sabha election for the Baharampur constituency in Kolkata marked a significant turning point. After twenty-five years of the same representative from the Congress party, the electorate decided to break the status quo and elect a new candidate for Parliament. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the five-time MP from this "Congress fortress," was rejected by the voters in favor of Trinamool Congress candidate, and former cricket star, Yusuf Pathan. Pathan won by a wide margin of over 85,000 votes, making this the first time that the Trinamool Congress has flown its flag in this region.
The defeat of Chowdhury, who had been winning the seat since 1999, came as a surprise to many. He was facing strong anti-incumbency and had to contend with not only Pathan but also BJP candidate Nirmal Chandra Saha, a well-known doctor in the area. Saha received an impressive number of votes, finishing third in the race. Chowdhury, accepting his defeat, expressed disappointment but wished Pathan the best of luck. Meanwhile, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee was critical of Chowdhury, calling him "arrogant" and stating that he was more aligned with the BJP than with the Congress party.
In contrast, Pathan showed respect for Chowdhury as a senior political leader and outlined his plans for the constituency. He promised to establish a sports academy for young people and bring in industrial investments. He also stated his commitment to dedicate his time to Baharampur and make it his base to work for the people. The Baharampur constituency has a significant Muslim population, but also has minorities such as Christians, Jains, and Sikhs in smaller numbers.
This election marked a significant gain for the TMC in one of the last remaining Congress strongholds in West Bengal. In the 2021 state polls, the TMC won six out of seven seats, losing only Baharampur to the BJP. While the TMC has never won the Lok Sabha seat in Baharampur, local party leaders found hope in Chowdhury's declining vote share during the campaign. His vote share had decreased by 11% since the 2009 general elections, indicating a potential shift in the political landscape.
Many political observers believe that despite Chowdhury's five consecutive wins, he has not been able to solidify the Congress party's foothold in Baharampur. The party has consistently underperformed in assembly, panchayat, and civic body polls. On the other hand, the BJP made some inroads in the area through Subrata Maitra's victory in the Baharampur assembly constituency three years ago. However, this did not translate into a win in the recent Lok Sabha election.
In the previous two Lok Sabha elections, Chowdhury had defeated his TMC opponents by a significant margin. However, this time around, he faced a challenging task of repeating this feat in a changed political landscape. Unfortunately, it proved to be too difficult for him, and he was unable to secure a sixth term. The people of Baharampur have spoken, and they have chosen a new representative to lead them in Parliament. Only time will tell if Yusuf Pathan will live up to their expectations and bring about positive changes for the constituency.
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