The ruling Trinamool Congress of West Bengal has declared candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha constituencies. Mamata Banerjee's party has introduced former cricketer Yusuf Pathan into the fray for the Murshidabad district's Behrampur seat. Yusuf, a member of the victorious 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup Indian teams, hailing from Gujarat, is now pitted against the state's Congress president, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury. What strategy lies behind TMC's bold move in this electoral fortress? A discussion on the seat's election history, political climate, and voter mathematics is essential.
TMC yet to conquer Behrampur
If we look back at the history of elections for the Behrampur Lok Sabha constituency since independence, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)'s Tridib Choudhury held the position for seven consecutive terms from 1952 to 1980. Congress first won the seat in 1984 with Atish Chandra Sinha. RSP made a comeback, with Nani Bhattacharya and Promoths Mukherjee representing it until 1998. In 1999, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury was elected to the seat and has since been re-elected five times consecutively. Behrampur is a stronghold that's eluded TMC ever since its inception.
The imperative for Mamata to defeat Adhir
TMC's focus on Behrampur has been sharp since the previous election. However, the stakes for Mamata Banerjee to defeat Adhir Ranjan Choudhury have escalated. Choudhury has been a vociferous critic of Bengal's CM, launching attacks even when TMC's leader shared stages with Congress's top officials at India's coalition meetings. TMC leadership cited Choudhury's statements as a reason for the party's distancing from Congress.
Why Mamata sees hope in Behrampur
Prior to the last election, TMC entrusted the seat to Shubhendu Adhikari, now the leader of the opposition in the assembly and once regarded as TMC's strategist. In 2019, the party fielded Apurva Sarkar, a former Congress MLA. Though Adhir won, the victory margin was significantly reduced from nearly three and a half lakh votes in 2014 to just ninety thousand. The decreased margin and superb assembly election performance give TMC a glimmer of victory in Behrampur.
Source: aajtak
Behrampur's electoral landscape comprises seven assembly seats, of which TMC claimed six in the last elections. BJP secured one, while Congress could not open its account in Adhir's bastion. The 2019 polls' tightening margin and the assembly's performance ring hopeful for TMC in Behrampur.
Why Yusuf is TMC's bet against Dada
Behrampur voters haven't been quick to switch their representatives. Skipping the deviation of 1984, RSP's consistent wins till 1998 reflect voter tendencies. Choudhury himself is seeking a sixth win. TMC last experimented with fielding a former Congress MLA against him. Now, introducing a former cricketer as their candidate adds a new dimension to the electoral chessboard.
Source: aajtak
The presence of a sports celebrity creates a distinctive impact on the election battlefield. Yusuf, a renowned name in cricket, facing a formidable opponent like Adhir, knows popularity alone isn't enough. Yusuf, having represented Kolkata's IPL franchise KKR, mentioned his intent to serve back the love he received. With his candidacy, TMC anticipates navigating the social and electoral dynamics of Behrampur.
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Behrampur's socio-political equations give TMC a reason to expect Yusuf's victory. If the Muslim voter base unifies in support, it could pose a formidable challenge to Adhir's campaign, possibly tipping the scales in TMC's favor. BJP has fielded Dr. Nirmal Kumar Saha here.
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Exploring the caste and social dynamics of Behrampur
In the Behrampur Lok Sabha constituency, the Hindu and Muslim populations are proportionate. In the 2019 election, this area had over 16 lakh voters, with Muslims accounting for nearly 52%. SC and ST voters make up roughly 13% and 1%, respectively, indicating intricate electoral fabric.
