Babul Supriyo faces tough challenge in Ballygunge by-poll

The former Union Minister who quit BJP and joined Trinamool has filed nomination on Monday

Former Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who quit the BJP and started his second innings as Trinamool Congress leader, on Monday filed nomination for the Ballygunge Assembly by-polls.  

After filing papers as the Trinamool’s nominee, Mr. Supriyo said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had wished him early morning and added he did not care about WhatsApp forwards going round against him.

The Ballygunge constituency, located in the heart of south Kolkata, is turning out to be a tough match for the singer-turned politician. Mr. Supriyo had quit the BJP in September 2021, weeks after being dropped from the Union Council of Ministers and said he wanted to be in the “playing eleven”.

 A section of minority leaders from Kolkata are upset with Mr. Supriyo’s nomination and have aired their grievances to the Trinamool Congress. “How can anybody forget what was Babul Supriyo’s role in Asansol riots of 2018 and his remarks directed at Muslims.  We are not going to support Babul Supriyo in the Ballygunge by-polls,” Mohammad Yahya, president of the Bengal Imam Association, told The Hindu.

 Mr. Yahya said the association had made its opposition against the Ballygunge candidate known to the higher ups in the Trinamool, including Ms. Banerjee, and was contemplating fielding an independent candidate.  What has upset people like Mr. Yahya is not only the past association of Mr. Surpiyo with the BJP but also the fact that recently Mr. Supriyo is seen wearing a skull cap while campaigning in  the Muslim-dominated areas of the constituency.  The Ballygunge constituency comprises seven wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and out of which four to five have a majority Muslim population.

 In the 2021 Assembly polls, former Minister Subrata Mukherjee secured about 70% votes and got about 1.06 lakh votes and the BJP got about 31,000 votes and secured 20% of votes polled. A section of Muslim leaders like Mr. Yahya are pointing out that the veteran TMC leader Mukherjee, who died in November 2021, never wore a skull cap during campaign. In fact, Mukherjee was one of the organisers of the biggest community Durga Puja festival in the constituency, they point out. The Communist party of India (Marxist) has fielded Saira Shah Halim from Ballygunge.

 The BJP has fielded Keya Ghosh, who has taken on Mr. Supriyo, by pointing out that he is changing “political parties like clothes”. Occasionally, Mr. Supriyo is seen exchanging barbs with the BJP candidates and others on social media. The Trinamool candidate is being targeted by the entire State BJP leadership. State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said the BJP was ready with Mr. Supriyo’s song targeting the Trinamool to play it during the campaign in Ballygunge.