West Bengal assembly elections: Four RG Kar rape-murder protest faces on CPM’s first list of candidates

KOLKATA: Four Left leaders — Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, Dipsita Dhar, Minakshi Mukherjee and Kalatan Dasgupta — who were the faces of the protests in the 2024 RG Kar rape and murder case, were fielded for the assembly elections from Jadavpur, North Dum Dum, Uttarpara, and Panihati, respectively.

The party also announced the candidature of Sabina Yasmin for the Kaliganj seat. Sabina is the mother of 9-year-old Tamanna Khatun, who was killed in a bomb blast last year. Tamanna, a Class 4 student from Molandi village, died on June 23 last year when a bomb, allegedly hurled during victory celebrations following the Kaliganj assembly bypoll results, exploded.

For the outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, the fight will be to bring back the ‘old glory' of Bengal, its ‘tradition of progressive culture, and advancement in learning'. "Bengal, which was once a safe haven for women, was destroyed in the last few years of Mamata Banerjee's govt," Bhattacharya said. He has been fielded from Jadavpur, one of the central hubs for the ‘Reclaim the Night' protests. Former mayor Bhattacharya added: "I expect that Jadavpur will give us resounding support, rejecting divisive politics and the communal lines that are the strength of both the BJP and Trinamool."

The Left Front on Monday announced its first list of 192 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls. Left Front chairman Biman Bose stated that the candidates for the remaining seats will be finalised and announced within three to four days. Fifty seats were allotted to allies by the Left Front.

Dipsita Dhar is contesting from North Dum Dum this time. Dhar said, "The Tilottama incident was an eye-opener for many. Since the constituency I'm contesting in, North Dum Dum, is also very close to her home, I think for many people, this year's election is a referendum between those who stand with the perpetrators and those who stand against them." Kalatan Dasgupta, fielded from Panihati, added: "We will fight to ensure that an ‘Abhaya-like' incident does not happen again, as well as for the employment of people across the state and against corruption."

Minakshi Mukherjee, one of the most recognisable young faces of the Left, was fielded from Uttarpara. She previously contested from Nandigram in the 2021 assembly elections, where Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee lost to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, and finished third in that triangular contest.