In BJP’s Lok Sabha list for Bengal, mix of old and new faces; Suvendu’s younger brother to contest from father’s seat

Leader of Opposition in state Assembly and Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari’s younger brother Soumendu would be contesting from Kanthi. The current MP from the seat is the brothers’ father Sisir Adhikari, who had won from Kanthi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a TMC ticket. A three-time MP from the seat, Sisir is restricted to his home due to old age.

Talking to The Indian Express over phone, Soumendu Adhikari said, “We will work hard and give this seat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a gift from the people here. This is my first step into ‘parishadiya rajniti’, (legislative politics). Earlier, I worked in student politics and civic politics. However, I have experience of contesting elections. I am yet to talk to my father (Sisir Adhikari).’

Suvendu’s other brother Dibyendu Ashikari is also a TMC MP from Tamluk. Suvendu had joined the BJP months ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in the state.

The party retained Pramanik, who’s the Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs, in Cooch Behar. In Bongaon, the saffron camp will field Thakur again. Known for his vocal support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Thakur is a prominent Matua leader from the state and Union MoS for sports, shipping and waterways.

In addition, the Union MoS for education Subhas Sarkar will contest from Bankura.

Other familiar faces in the list include the party’s state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar from Balurghat, Jagannath Sarkar from Ranaghat, Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato from Purulia and Locket Chattopdhyay from Hooghly.

In Paschim Medinipur’s Ghatal seat, the BJP has decided to bank on the popularity of Bengali actor Hiranmay Chattopadhyay. The seat is currently represented by another actor and TMC leader Dev.

In a surprise move, the party dropped Alipurduar MP and Union MoS for Minority Affairs John Barla from the list and will be fielding Madaihat MLA Manoj Tigga from the seat instead. Tigga is Chief Whip of BJP’s legislative party in the Assembly.

A tribal leader from the tea belt of Bengal, Barla has been vocal about the need for a separate Union Territory to be carved out of north Bengal, while alleging that the region has “lacked development” over the years.

A prominent face among women leaders of the party, English Bazaar MLA Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury has been named the candidate from Malda Dakshin constituency.

BJP’s national executive committee member and chairperson of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation Anirban Ganguly is among the new faces in the first list of nominees and he will be contesting from Jadavpur.

Talking about his name featuring in the list of BJP nominees, Ganguly said, “We want a tough fight. Political violence has become endemic in West Bengal. Therefore, the BJP is the only alternative. Look at Uttar Pradesh, the scenario there has changed completely. For development, BJP is the only alternative in the eastern region, especially West Bengal.”

Priya Saha, a woman SC leader, will be in the fray from Bolpur Lok Sabha seat. She had unsuccessfully contested from Santhia on a BJP ticket in the 2021 Assembly polls.

The ruling TMC hit out at the BJP over its choice of nominees. Reacting to the party’s decision to field a Bhojpuri actor from Asansol, former Union Minister and TMC leader Babul Supriyo called the BJP “anti-Bengali”.

“…The BJP is anti-Bengali – the fact that they didn’t give a cabinet seat to any Bengali for 10 years while they were in power is proof enough for that but now fielding Pawan Singh from Asansol shows their insensitivity towards Bengali women. In terms of offending Bengali women and painting them in an utterly disrespectful light in film titles and songs, Pawanji (nothing against him as an artist, I reiterate) is surely a repeat offender!” he wrote on X.

TMC spokesperon Riju Datta criticised PM Modi over his recent remarks about the complaints of sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali island of North 24 Parganas district. “PM Narendra Modi was advocating for women in Bengal and shedding crocodile tears… Now, BJP fields Pawan Singh from Asansol. Some samples of Pawan Singh’s vulgar music videos disrespecting Bengal’s mothers and daughters,” Datt wrote on X while attaching posters of Singh’s films.

PM Modi, who was in West Bengal on Saturday on a two- day visit, set a target for the state BJP unit to win all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.