Kolkata: Krishnagar Lok Sabha constituency, which stands tucked 110-km away from bustling Kolkata, does not have the trappings of a bustling metropolis. However, the historical town, which is the headquarters of Nadia district, has got its place of prominence in West Bengal's cultural landscape.
One the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal, it has seen significant shifts in power dynamics, reflecting the changing tides of West Bengal's politics. A battleground of political ideologies since its inception in 1967, Krishnagar is gearing up to witness a riveting contest between a 'Rajmata' Amrita Roy and TMC's 'firebrand MP Mahua Moitra'.
A fashion designer by profession, Roy asserted that the overwhelming response she received during campaigning gave her confidence that she would win the seat by a significant margin, defeating TMC’s Mahua Moitra.
Going by strength, Mahua Moitra whose 'daredevilry' and articulate speeches on issues over her strident opposition to the BJP-led Centre made her a big name, she looks a formidable force.
BJP’s Krishnagar Lok Sabha candidate ‘Rajmata’ Amrita Roy, however, is unperturbed. She is quick to dismiss her opponent as a non-threat.
According to her, “misrule and corruption” under the TMC government in Bengal has compelled her to enter politics. Roy praised the union government for implementing the CAA rules, stating that it would benefit the refugee population, including the Matua community, who had fled neighbouring countries to escape religious persecution.
Roy, who hails from the royal family of Maharaja Krishnachandra Roy and holds the title of ‘Rajmata of the Rajbari’, said the people of Bengal are “fed up” with the misrule and corruption charges against the state government.
“Joining politics was a conscious decision. I am an apolitical person, but I have joined the BJP on request as it is a good platform. All of us living in Bengal are fed up with the misrule of the TMC. People are not happy with the TMC,” she said.
Roy claimed that wherever she had campaigned, she observed how people were deprived of their rights due to corruption and misrule.
“I want to work for the development of the people of the state. People had voted for the TMC with a lot of expectations, but they are disappointed now. You can say this disappointment has forced me into politics. As a woman and as a citizen, I thought I have a role to play given the situation of the state,” she added.
“I don’t consider my rival as a threat as the response and love that I have been getting speaks a lot about my acceptance among the people of Krishnanagar,” said the Rajmata, whose family holds considerable respect in the Krishnanagar area.
Regarding the implementation of CAA and its impact in her constituency, which has a considerable Matua population, she said, “CAA will help the Hindus who had to flee neighbouring countries due to religious persecution.” According to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), rules of which were notified on March 13, the government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians — from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.(With agency inputs)
