Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha Constituency: Two time sitting MP Abhishek Banerjee to face challenge from CPIM’s Pratikur Rahaman and BJP’s Abhijit Das

Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha used to be a stronghold for parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India, and Congress, up and until 2009.

Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha Constituency: Abhishek Banerjee, Pratikur Rahman and Abhijit Das (L-R).

Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha Constituency: Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is one of the constituencies that was established during the very first Lok Sabha elections in 1952, is one of the 42 Lok Sabha Constituencies from West Bengal. The constituency consists of seven Vidhan Sabha constituencies, including Diamond Harbour, Falta, Satgachhia, Bishnupur, Maheshtala, Budge Budge and Metiaburuz. It covers the entirety of South 24 Parganas district and some parts of Kolkata district.

Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha used to be a stronghold for parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India, and Congress. However, since 2009, All India Trinamool Congress has dominated the seat and has won three back-to-back elections from this seat, signifying their clutch in state politics.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, TMC fielded their two-time sitting MP Abhishek Banerjee, while CPI(M) and BJP have fielded Pratikur Rahaman and Abhijit Das, respectively, making the electoral battle at Diamond Harbour, a three-way tussle. The polling on this seat is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 1, during phase 7.

Abhishek Banerjee (TMC)

Abhishek Banerjee, TMC (Source: X:@abhishekaitc)

After witnessing a slight decline in number of seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in comparison to 2014 elections, TMC in 2024 has decided to retain their key members on their respective seats, one of which is Abhishek Banerjee from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency. Banerjee has been one of the key figures behind the rise of TMC in West Bengal, making his candidature even stronger. He served TMC at various levels before becoming the party’s general secretary in 2021.

Pratikur Rahaman (CPI(M))

Pratikur Rahaman, CPI(M) (Source: X/@marineravin)

The most successful party from this seat, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has fielded the young Pratikur Rahaman as their candidate for the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha Constituency in a bid to regain their dominance over the seat they have dominance in historically. This will be Rahman’s first attempt in mainstream politics as he has earlier served as the national vice-president of the Students Federation of India and a member of the state committee of the CPI(M) in West Bengal.

Abhijit Das (BJP)

Abhijit Das, BJP (Source: X/@gargiMu48960835)

While other parties have gone with young candidates from Diamond Harbour seat, BJP have decided to bank on the experience of their former district president of South 24 Parganas district, Abhijit Das, a.k.a., Bobby. Notably, Das has earlier contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Diamond Harbour seat in 2009 and 2014 but only managed to secure the third spot on both occasions. Before becoming a full-time member of the BJP, Das was also connected to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).