BJP finally fields candidate from Abhishek’s seat
After much dithering and a lot of rumours on who the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would field from the high-profile seat of Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas, currently held by the Trinamool Congress National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, the party has nominated Abhijit Das, who is popularly known as Bobby.
This constituency is drawing significant attention as Banerjee, who is the nephew of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is vying to win this seat for the third consecutive time, after 2014 and 2019.
Abhijit Das, aged 54, had fought under the banner of the BJP from the same constituency twice before, in 2009 and 2014, coming in third both times. He came behind Abhishek Banerjee and the CPI(M)’s Abul Hasnat in 2014, and behind Trinamool’s Somen Mitra and Congress’s Samik Lahiri in 2009.
As per Das’s 2014 election affidavit, he identified himself as a social activist and legal advisor. BJP insiders have noted Das’s strong organisational skills and influence within the party’s unions in the district.
