Veteran Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury faces the toughest electoral test of his career as Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee’s googly threatens to uproot his stumps from what has been his pocket borough of Baharampur in West Bengal.
Last Sunday, the Trinamool Congress chose to announce its list of candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections during a grand rally christened “Jana Garjan Sabha” at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground. During the event, while everybody focused on the top two leaders, Mamata Banerjee and heir apparent Abhishek Banerjee as they strode the innovative cross-ramps to get closer to their supporters, nobody paid any attention to the tall, lean cricketer sitting unobtrusively in the third row of the stage.
That man was Yusuf Pathan, known for his big-hitting cricketing exploits, whom Mamata has fielded to hit bête-noire and the Congress’ Leader of the Opposition in the current Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury out of the political field.
“I recognised him as that cricketer who hit massive sixes. I thought he would be introduced as a Trinamool Congress supporter. I could never imagine MamataDi would announce his candidature for a Lok Sabha seat and that too from Baharampur,” said a veteran party leader who was sitting on the same stage.
Pathan, a Vadodara-based cricketer, was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. But his only connection to West Bengal is that he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL for seven years.
Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has won the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat five straight times since 1999 and given the history of acrimony between him and the Trinamool Congress’ top leadership, this contest will be among the most-watched in these Lok Sabha elections.
Denne historien er fra March 17, 2024-utgaven av The Sunday Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 17, 2024-utgaven av The Sunday Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
WHEN PHILANTHROPY AND SEVA COME NATURALLY
On a bitterly cold January evening a group of devotees of Saint Jalaram are serving hot nutritious food to the homeless and destitute in the Holborn area of London. University students too can be seen in the queues. Saint Jalaram was born in 1799 in Gujarat.
BMW Motorrad India to raise prices by up to 2.5%
BMW Motorrad India will increase prices by up to 2.5% across the model range. The new prices will be effective from 01 January 2025 onwards.
Volvo Group partners with Indian universities to shape future automotive talent
Volvo signs MoU with Amrita University and Thapar Institute to build a stronger industry-academia engagement and enhance the engineering industry readiness.
NO GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO DETERMINE PRICE OF VEHICLES TO BE SCRAPPED
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said that there will be no government intervention for determining the fair price for a vehicle to be scrapped.
GADKARI VOWS TO MAKE AUTO INDUSTRY NO. 1
The Indian automobile industry ranks third globally, behind China and the United States, but the government aims to elevate it to the top position within the next five years, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari stated.
Maruti to ramp up exports by over two-fold to 8 lakh units by 2030-31
Maruti Suzuki India is aiming to export about 8 lakh vehicles annually by the fiscal year 2030-31, from its current exports of around 3 lakh units.
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT SUMMONS POLICE COMMISSIONER ON CONTEMPT PETITION
The Allahabad High Court has recently summoned Prayagraj Police Commissioner Tarun Gauba and other officials to appear on December 10 regarding a contempt petition.
GULFISHA, KHALID SEEK BAIL ON GROUNDS OF PARITY
Several individuals accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi Riots, including Gulfisha Fatima, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Shifa Ur Rehman, have approached the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking bail.
Delhi HC directs CBI to appoint senior officer for RAU Study Circle case
The Delhi High Court has recently directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to appoint a senior officer to regularly monitor the investigation into the RAU's IAS Study Circle case.
Delhi HC directs govt to submit report on AHF injection stocks
The Delhi High Court has recently instructed both the Centre and the Delhi government to submit reports on the current stock of Antihemophilic Factor injections, which are essential for treating haemophilia, a rare genetic disorder.
