West Bengal: In Diamond Harbour, Trinamool expects its ‘ratna’ to shine again
Times of India | 31 May 2024
The rise of Diamond Harbour in West Bengal’s political map in the last decade has been intertwined with the phenomenal growth of its MP Abhishek Banerjee in Bengal politics.
From a novice in 2014 to Trinamool Congress’s general secretary and No.2 in 2024, the political strides of Banerjee have also seen Diamond Harbour, a former Left bastion, elect him with a 3.2 lakh margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.The 2021 assembly polls gave Banerjee further cushion, with Trinamool winning all seven segments in the Lok Sabha constituency.
“I’m contesting an election. I’m not an astrologer. I can’t predict the future, but I have left no stone unturned in serving people.... I’m hopeful and optimistic that the margin that Diamond Harbour gave me last time will increase further and people will continue to shower their love and blessings on us as we have worked hard in the last 10 years,” Banerjee said.
Courtesy Banerjee, there is the ‘Diamond Harbour model’ — a mix of welfare schemes for the elderly and others, health facilities and educational initiatives. It had become the talking point in the state during Covid. In the last 10 years, projects worth Rs 5,580 crore were implemented in Diamond Harbour constituency, Banerjee claimed, saying it would be replicated statewide.
Since his 2019 Lok Sabha poll win, Banerjee has emerged as the ‘general’ in Trinamool ranks. During the highly successful 2021 assembly poll campaign, he devised the party strategy and anchored the campaign with his aunt and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. He also played a key role in the party’s success in the municipal and panchayat polls, in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
While campaigning for Banerjee in Metiabruz on Wednesday, Mamata recollected: “I had promised Abhishek that I would visit his constituency once. Abhishek has been in politics since he was two years old when CPM attacked me. He saw me and would chant slogans seeking answers from CPM for attacking me. These CPM goons have become the leaders of the BJP.”
A day before, women and men had gathered on both sides of Sarisha Cross- ing braving the scorching sun to get a glimpse of Banerjee during a roadshow. Nearly one-and-a-half hours later, he arrived sitting atop his MUV and was greeted with ululation and the blowing of conch shells. Banerjee, the politician, is also a youth icon here. “The younger ones have his hairstyle and wear white kurtapyjamas and spectacles like him,” said Ratanpur farmer Rehan Ali, who travelled 5km to watch Banerjee.
On the other hand, the opposition campaign, beset with rumblings, has been a late starter in Diamond Harbour. Despite multiple claims by key partner Indian Secular Front’s Nawsad Siddiqui, the only MLA of the Left-Congress alliance in the 2021 assembly elections, that he would contest against Banerjee, the party finally nominated Majnu Laskar as its candidate. CPM had already nominated Pratikur Rahaman as its candidate. BJP took more than a month to name Abhijit Das.
Diamond Harbour has around 55% Hindus and 35% Muslims voters. SCs comprise 20.6%, and STs 0.1% of the electorate. As much as 51% of its voters are staying in urban zones.
Like any other Lok Sabha seat, Diamond Harbour too has issues plaguing it. Opposition alleges “a climate of threat and intimidation”.
Residents complain of water scarcity issues, waterlogging and most importantly, of shut industries on the urban stretches at Satgachia, Maheshtala or Budge Budge.
Perhaps it is nowhere more evident than at Budge Budge, an old settlement dotted with jute mills, oil companies, and small industrial units. A lot of high-rises have come up on old industrial premises on the Budge Budge Road from Dakghar to Budge Budge via Maheshtala.
“TMC is propagating a model of coercion and undemocratic practices. The way voters are being intimidated is unacceptable in a democracy. It is not a model for development, but a laboratory of violence,” said BJP’s Das. The party had a sizable 34% vote share in the last elections.
CPM state committee member Pratikur, 33, dismisses claims of being intimidated by Banerjee’s stature.
“I am not fighting against any individual. My fight is against the policies of TMC and BJP,” he claimed. “They are trying to polarise elections on religious grounds. Our fight is not for caste or religion but for class. They cannot stop me with violence. I will fight back hard,” Rahaman said.