Lok Sabha Election 2024: 3 Turncoats Vie for Glory in Bengal's Raiganj Constituency

Raiganj, which once earned the epithet of 'Priya-garh' as the constituency was the fort of late Congress heavyweight Priyaranjan Das Munsi, presents a case of Lok Sabha constituency where all three candidates have kept switching sides from time to time.

Raiganj(West Bengal): Come April 26, three turncoats will be slugging it out for victory in West Bengal's Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency. In a turn of events resembling a musical chair, all three party-hoppers deserted their respective parties sensing opportunity in the nick of hour in an apparent move to enhance their poll prospects.

Trinamool Congress has fielded 'billionaire' Krishna Kalyani, a former BJP MLA. The BJP candidate Kartik Chandra Pal, changed colour twice. He quit Congress and joined the Trinamool to become a candidate. Ali Imran Ramz, the Congress candidate, is a Forwad Bloc turncoat.

Raiganj presents a unique case of a parliamentary constituency where main three rival candidates are turncoats. The Congress candidate is an erstwhile Forward Block MLA. Now, the voters of the Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency appear confused as to who they would vote for.

Kalyani left TMC and joined the BJP ahead of the 2021 assembly elections. The saffron brigade nominated him for the Raiganj constituency. After winning the polls, Kalyani somersaulted and again came back to Trinamool Congress fold.

Kartik, who entered the arena through Chhatra Parishad, gradually became a key member of the district Congress and became close to the -then chairman of the Congress-run Kaliaganj Municipality, Tarun Dey Sarkar, who later joined the Trinamool Congress in 2016. After four years of 'honeymoon' with TMC, he switched allegiance to BJP in 2020.

Raiganj, once known as 'Priya-garh' as the constituency was the fort of former Congress heavyweight Priyaranjan Das Munsi, who is no longer alive. After 2009, Congress could not win this seat.

In 2024, Congress has nominated Ali Imran Ramz from this constituency. Ramz left Forward Bloc and joined Congress two years ago.

When asked why should people trust turncoat, Kalyani made it clear that he would comment anything on the camera. However, he found support from district Trinamool spokesman Sandeep Biswas.

"There is no such thing as a turncoat. You'll find instances of politicians switching sides galore. Karthik Pal switched from Congress to Trinamool to BJP. Where did the Leader of Opposition come from?" Biswas questioned.

He further said, “Attracted by Mamata Banerjee's work, local man Krishna Kalyani is contesting the polls as our candidate. Voters must believe us because gaining people's trust is our politics. That is our challenge.”

BJP candidate Kartik Chandra Pal said, "When I was the chairman of Kaliaganj Municipality, I left Trinamool and joined BJP. BJP was not in power in West Bengal then, not even today. So people will never mistrust me and voters want to keep faith in PM Modi.”

On the other hand, Ramz said, "I never changed the party for the greed of power. I fight for people. I came to Congress from the Left Front to fight. I am a candidate for the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat for the Congress. If I had the greed for power, I could have gone to the Trinamool Congress, but I didn't. So people trust me.”