In battle of two Dum Dums, education & finance ministers bat on different pitches

Kolkata: Two ministers in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet are fighting contrasting political battles in two adjoining constituencies—Dum Dum and Dum Dum North—on the northern fringes of the city. In Dum Dum, three-time MLA and education minister Bratya Basu is seeking a fourth term, aiming to cement his hold over a seat he has represented since 2011. He had wrested the win over the then-Left stronghold from CPM's Goutam Deb by more than 31,000 votes. Basu has since retained the seat and his campaign this time rests heavily on this continuity and development. Getting all the councillors on the same page is another of his tasks. "I have been working here for the past 15 years. I know every lane and by-lane here," Basu said, adding plans were already in motion for two more flyovers to ease traffic congestion in the area. He also cited improvement in the drainage system, claiming water now receded faster after heavy rain and that restoration of the Bagjola canal was on.Countering his claims, CPM candidate Mayukh Biswas, Goutam Deb's nephew, has been highlighting long-standing grievances of sanitation gap, waterlogging, deteriorating roads, unemployment and closure of industries. BJP, which has fielded Arijit Bakshi, a lawyer, as its candidate, has been accusing Basu of being disconnected from the constituency and inattentive to civic lapses.Neighbouring Dum Dum North offers a more prominent triangular contest. MLA and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya faces a dual challenge from BJP's Sourav Sikdar, who carries both political lineage—he is former BJP Union minister Tapan Sikdar's nephew—and organisational backing, and CPM's Dipsita Dhar, a young Left face, whose campaign blends grassroots outreach with a strong digital presence. Bhattacharya had lost to CPM's Tanmay Bhattacharya in 2016, only to return to the Assembly through a by-election in Contai later.Bhattacharya relies on experience and Trinamool's governance record. "People have faith in Mamata Banerjee and our party. In the Left regime, this place was notorious for bombs and gunshots. The situation has changed in the Trinamool regime... BJP is not a factor here. Dipsita is a learned girl. But she is too young and doesn't know the constituency better than me," Bhattacharya said.The arithmetic suggests a close race. While the BJP steadily increased its vote share, crossing 31% in 2021, Trinamool's lead narrowed in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Complaints about waterlogging, poor drainage, battered roads and alleged illegal constructions remained central to the opposition's campaign. The deletion of nearly 28,700 voters under SIR has further added to a sense of uncertainty.Citing incumbency and consequent alleged neglect, Sikdar is pitching himself as the face of change. Dhar, who describes herself as a researcher, activist and part-time fashion enthusiast on Instagram, has her campaign firmly focused on local issues. Out on canvassing, she is often spotted in a sari, paired with t-shirts, even her fashion blending tradition with a youthful touch. "I am in politics as I think it is a tool to transform society, not as a career. People are frustrated with Trinamool and will bring in the right change," she said.
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