In safe Ballygunge seat, TMC battles SIR axe

Kolkata: Upscale Ballygunge in south Kolkata, a Trinamool bastion for over 25 years, is a curious mix of cultures and people from various economic strata. Here, high-rises and affluent neighbourhoods sit alongside expansive slums. SIR deletions have somewhat wiped out the vast differences between the electorate, with all sections being affected.A staggering 71,000 names were deleted, reducing the electorate from 2,55,000 to 1.8 lakh. With Muslims accounting for nearly 50% voters till 2021, the churn could alter electoral arithmetic. Though Ballygunge saw 62% polling in 2021, observers say turnout was driven largely by slum areas.The seat will witness Trinamool veteran and state minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay take on relative political greenhorns — BJP's Shatorupa, CPM's Afreen Begum and Congress' Rohan Mitra. Chattopadhyay, an MLA since 1991 and minister since 2011, should have it easy. A former boxer and founding Trinamool member, he won't have to punch above his weight to floor his opponents. He won from Khardah in 2021 after winning from Rashbehari four times in a row from 2001.Trinamool secured 71% vote share here in 2021. Bounded by affluent Ballygunge Circular Road, Gariahat and Mandeville Gardens on one side and minority-dominated Park Circus, Tangra and Tiljala on the other, Ballygunge is a study in contrasts.Chattopadhyay believes SIR was aimed at eroding Trinamool's base. "The plan will not work and Ballygunge voters have seen through the BJP's design. I have seen tougher battles in my career and this time the opposition has no issue that can help them reverse our winning trend. I will win by a big margin. This will be my 10th term as an MLA and the feeling is really a special one," said the 82-year-old.BJP's Shatorupa downplayed the deletions. "Both Hindu and Muslim names have been deleted. But they are mostly dead and shifted voters or names that were duplicated across communities. So, it's not that only the Muslims have been affected and they remain the majority here. Along with upscale and posh neighbourhoods, there are slums here that don't have access to water. My appeal to Muslims is to decide if they would continue to be used by the Trinamool for their illegal activities or choose to join the mainstream and be a part of development that the BJP has promised. The minority are better off in other states," she said.Despite strong infrastructure — schools, hospitals, hotels and retail hubs — contrasts persist. Landmarks like Rabindra Sarobar, Birla Mandir and Bose Institute, Ballygunge has some of south Kolkata's oldest neighbourhoods that have been home to people like Satyajit Ray, Jyoti Basu and Sunil Gangopadhyay. Hindustan Park, Dover Lane and Fern Road are home to cultural events and Durga Pujas. All these coexist with pockets lacking basic amenities.CPM candidate Afreen Begum flagged these gaps. "Since they spend long hours outside home for work, Ballygunge women need to feel safe. If elected, I plan to build toilets and rest rooms for women. Senior citizens residing in high-rises need better security for which I have planned an app and a helpline that will activate quick response teams to help them. I also plan to revive govt hospitals and schools in the area," she said.Afreen alleged selective deletions. "This will definitely impact the election result. We have tried our best to get as many enrolled as possible. We are waiting for names to be included on April 27," she said.Rohan Mitra said Trinamool had lost credibility. "Eighty lakh youth have enrolled for Yuva Sathi scheme that shows the govt has failed to provide jobs. There are no civic amenities, even streetlights are missing. The TMC candidate is not only an outsider but is too old to serve the people," he said.
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