CPM next-gen: Who is Pratikur Rahaman, tasked with taking on Abhishek Banerjee?

The Left candidate from Diamond Harbour is a local and at present is a member of the CPI(M) state committee and serves as the SFI’s national vice-president.

3 min readCoochbeharUpdated: Apr 9, 2024 01:19 AM IST

CPI (M) Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha candidate

At present, the 33-year-old is a member of the CPI(M) state committee and is the national vice-president of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the party’s student wing. (Photo: X/ @PratikRahaman)

With the Indian Secular Front (ISF) deciding to go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls, the CPI(M) that was struggling to arrive at a consensus on the high-profile Diamond Harbour constituency has picked one of its promising youth leaders to take on Trinamool Congress (TMC) number two and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, the incumbent MP.

Pratikur Rahaman, the CPI(M)’s pick, is a local. At present, the 33-year-old is a member of the CPI(M) state committee and is the national vice-president of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the party’s student wing. Rahaman, who studied at the Fakir Chand College in Diamond Harbour, lives on the outskirts of Diamond Harbour with his parents, brothers, wife and daughter. His family, according to party insiders, runs a construction material supply business.

“I am not fighting against any individual. My fight is against the policies of the TMC and BJP,” Rahaman told The Indian Express after his candidature was announced.

The CPI(M) initially adopted a wait-and-watch approach for Diamond Harbour as it expected ISF leader Naushad Siddiqui to enter the fray. It had also assured him of full support but with the ISF snapping ties, the Left-Congress combine was forced to look within its ranks for a candidate to take on Banerjee. The ISF has so far declared candidates for 14 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, fielding Majnu Laskar from the constituency.

“It would have been better if Naushad contested from here as the people were expecting him. But there is no problem as people are now saying, you fight, we will support you.” Rahaman said.

The Left Front, Congress, and ISF, which contested the 2021 Assembly polls together, failed to resolve their differences. The Left was not ready to agree to the ISF’s demand of eight seats while negotiations between the Congress and the Left Front hit a hurdle over Coochbehar and Purulia.

Terming the TMC’s “Diamond Harbour model” as a bluff, Rahaman accused the TMC and BJP of being anti-farmer. “The prices of fertilisers are increasing while the farmers are getting poorer. We are against this policy,” the CPI(M) candidate said.

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This will not be Rahaman’s first time in the poll fray. In 2021, he contested from Diamond Harbour, finishing third after Pannalal Halder of the TMC and Deepak Halder of the BJP.

“I got associated with the SFI in 2011 following which I have been assaulted by TMC goons many times. They cannot stop me with violence. I will fight back hard,” Rahaman said

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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