Kaliganj bypoll: BJP fields Ashish Ghosh, Cong gets Left backing
The Statesman | 1 June 2025
In a key political development ahead of the upcoming Kaliganj Assembly by-election in Nadia district, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced seasoned grassroots leader Ashish Ghosh as its candidate.
Ghosh, a four-time elected gram panchayat member and a veteran of local politics, is expected to be the saffron camp’s trump card in a contest that is fast evolving into a battle of alliances and rivalries.
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A farmer by profession, Ashish Ghosh has held several key organisational posts within the BJP. He previously served as the president of the local Kisan Morcha (farmers’ wing) and currently functions as an executive committee member of the party’s Nadia district unit. He also serves as the convenor for the BJP in the Kaliganj Assembly constituency. With years of organisational experience and grassroots connect, Ghosh is seen as a “battle-hardened” face in the district’s political landscape.
Meanwhile, in a significant show of unity amid earlier tensions, the Congress and the Left Front have resolved their differences and decided to field a joint candidate. The Congress has nominated Kabiluddin Sheikh, whose candidature has now officially received the backing of the Left Front. This decision came after intense deliberations and a series of internal meetings within the Front, following a controversial remark by CPI-M state secretary Mohammed Salim earlier in the week, hinting at a CPI-M-led run in the seat.
Salim’s unilateral suggestion sparked friction among alliance partners, with smaller Left constituents pushing back against the idea. A resolution was finally reached during Friday’s Left Front meeting, where CPI leader and state secretary Swapan Banerjee announced that the alliance would support the Congress nominee, setting aside CPI-M’s initial demand.
With the BJP, Congress, and Left now locked into their respective strategies, the Kaliganj bypoll promises to be a closely watched contest — not just for who wins the seat, but for what it may signal about broader political equations ahead of the next state and national elections.