The Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency, a stronghold of the Congress heavyweight Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury since 1999, is currently enveloped in a fierce electoral battle, with unemployment and workforce migration emerging as significant concerns for the electorate. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan in an attempt to unseat Chowdhury, while the BJP has nominated Nirmal Chandra Saha, a popular doctor in the region. Despite facing anti-incumbency due to his five consecutive wins, Chowdhury remains a formidable force in the constituency, and the ‘insider-outsider’ narrative is likely to play a role in shaping voters’ decisions.
The Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency encompasses seven assembly segments – Burwan (SC), Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Baharampur, and Naoda – all located within the Murshidabad district. In the 2021 state Assembly elections, the TMC managed to secure victories in six of these seven seats, with the BJP winning the Baharampur assembly segment. Despite never having won the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency, local TMC leaders are optimistic about their chances, citing a decline in Chowdhury’s vote share by over 11% since the 2009 general elections.
Political observers highlight that Chowdhury, despite his five consecutive wins, has not been able to solidify Congress’s position in Baharampur. The party has not only faced setbacks in assembly elections but also failed to make a significant impact in panchayat and civic body polls. Conversely, the BJP has gained ground in the region, winning the Baharampur assembly constituency three years ago.
The TMC’s nomination of Yusuf Pathan has generated excitement among a section of voters in Baharampur, but experts are skeptical about how much of this support will translate into votes. They point out that despite his noticeable decline in popularity, Chowdhury remains a formidable force in the seat, aided by an ‘insider-outsider’ discourse that favors the Congress leader. This sentiment is reflected in the Congress’s election wall graffiti, which proclaims ‘Baharampur nijer chele kei chay’ (Baharampur wants its son).
In the previous two Lok Sabha elections, Chowdhury defeated his TMC rivals by significant margins. In 2019, he routed Apurba Sarkar by 80,696 votes, while in 2014, he defeated state minister Indranil Sen by 1,56,567 votes. Analysts believe that Chowdhury’s challenge in the upcoming election will be to replicate this success under altered circumstances.
Chowdhury has criticized the TMC’s nomination of Pathan, claiming that it is a move that would benefit the BJP and that it represents Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee’s way of sending a ‘veiled friendship message to PM Modi.’ He opines that Pathan’s candidature is intended to polarize voters along communal lines, aiding the BJP and undermining the Congress. Chowdhury further believes that the TMC should have instead nominated Pathan to the Rajya Sabha or offered him candidature from a seat in Gujarat through the INDIA bloc.
Meanwhile, Pathan, who has a connection to Bengal through his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise, expressed confidence in a favorable outcome. He declared that he has a strong team and that his focus is on winning the election. BJP candidate Dr. Nirmal Kumar Saha, fondly referred to as ‘daktar babu’ in the area, emphasized his strong support among the people, stating that he is not one to give up easily and that he will challenge both Yusuf Pathan and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on equal footing.
