The latest list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), released on Sunday, includes Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a former judge from Calcutta High Court who recently joined the party. He is set to contest from the Tamluk parliamentary seat in West Bengal.
Challenging him is Debangshu Bhattacharya, 27, who leads the social media team of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). He is also known for composing the ‘Khela Hobe‘ campaign song, which gained popularity during the 2021 West Bengal elections.
Gangopadhyay made headlines in 2021 for his firm stance on the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). As a sitting judge, he directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the matter.
Critics have questioned Gangopadhyay’s transition from the judiciary to politics, with the Trinamool Congress accusing him of having political motives behind his rulings on the teacher recruitment scandal.
At a recent Trinamool Congress rally, party chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee referred to Gangopadhyay as a “BJP babu who was sitting on the bench” and vowed to defeat him if he ran for election. With Gangopadhyay’s candidacy confirmed in the BJP’s latest list, the stage is now set for a showdown.
Meanwhile, TMC’s candidate Bhattacharya has been actively involved in student politics and has managed the party’s social media presence since 2022.
The Tamluk constituency, once a stronghold of the Left, has been held by the Trinamool Congress since 2009. However, the dynamics have shifted with Suvendu Adhikari’s defection to the BJP. Despite TMC’s long hold on the seat, it remains a challenge for them to retain it this time, given Adhikari’s influence in the region.
On Sunday, BJP announced 19 additional candidates from West Bengal for the upcoming general elections. The saffron party has relocated Dilip Ghosh, the current MP from Medinipur, to Bardhaman–Durgapur, replacing the incumbent S S Ahluwalia.
Bengal is set to vote in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha Polls, commencing on 19 April, with the election results scheduled to be announced on 4 June.