BAGDAH (NORTH 24 PARGANAS): Madhuparna Thakur, at 25 years and one month, will be Bengal's youngest legislator. Thakur, Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur's daughter and the youngest in the Matua Thakurbari to step into politics, won the Bagdah assembly bypoll by 33,455 votes.
Thakur broke the record previously held by former minister Subrata Mukherjee, who had made his electoral debut in 1971, becoming the youngest MLA at the age of 26 when he was elected from Ballygunge constituency.
A zoology graduate, who cut shot her post graduate studies before joining politics, Thakur had first drawn attention for her roadside protests when she - and her mother - were evicted out of their Thakurbari home by their arch political rival, and also her cousin, junior Union minister Shantanu Thakur. Symbolically, on Saturday, after her win in the Bagdah assembly bypoll, she along with her mother, armed with a court order, broke the locks and entered their home.
Incidentally, her cousin Shantanu had barely a month ago taken a lead of 20,600 votes in this Matua-dominated seat reserved for Scheduled Castes. After that, Trinamool was gripped by an internal debate whether they will field a Matua candidate from within the Thakurbari or someone from outside. CM Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee weighed in for Madhuparna. On the other hand, BJP's candidate was Binay Kumar Biswas, a resident of Bongaon's Gopalnagar, whom a section of local BJP netas and supporters termed an "outsider". Even the rebels unanimously nominated Satyajit Mazumdar, a RSS member and a schoolteacher, who contested the bypoll as a "BJP supported independent candidate". Majumdar, however, could not make a dent, polling a meagre 1,438 votes, but his campaign drove a wedge.
Madhuparna not only recovered the LS poll deficit but also won by a handsome margin.
"This is a win for Didi and Abhishek Da. They had faith in me. When I first came to Bagdah to campaign, I saw in people's eyes that they had already made up their mind in favour of Trinamool. My work begins now. I intend to stay here and work for people. Bagdah needs bridges and roads. I will work for all," she said. She also chose to keep the family friction aside and said that her cousin Shantanu "gladly blessed and appreciated her".
Shantanu said, "I wished her success and blessed her while she came to me for my blessings. I would like to congratulate her. She is as an educated person who can do something for the people."
In Ranaghat South, another Matua-dominated seat, Mukut Mani Adhikari won by 39,048 votes. Barely a month ago, he had trailed by over 37,000 votes in this assembly segment when he was the Trinamool candidate in the Ranaghat LS polls. He had lost the LS polls to BJP's Jagannath Sarkar. Adhikari claimed the vote was people's reaffirmation for CM Mamata Banerjee. "There is a lot of work ahead," he said.
Sarkar, however, alleged that BJP voters were intimidated and not allowed to vote.