Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: A stalwart of congress politics in Bengal | 5 facts about him

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is a senior Indian politician of the Indian National Congress who rose from West Bengal state politics to become a prominent national leader. He entered politics in the 1970s with links to the Naxalite movement before formally joining the Congress during the Rajiv Gandhi era. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is contesting from Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal. (PTI) Over time, he built a strong base in Murshidabad, first as an MLA from Nabagram and later as a long-serving MP from Berhampore, emerging as one of the party’s most influential leaders in the region. His political career includes major electoral victories, organisational roles, and ministerial responsibilities. After a narrow defeat in 1991, he won Nabagram in 1996 and entered the Lok Sabha in 1999 with a strong mandate from Berhampore. He went on to hold key parliamentary committee positions and served as Minister of State for Railways in 2012. However, in a major setback, he lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Berhampore to Yusuf Pathan by a large margin. Also read :https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/kolkata-news/bengal-assembly-polls-the-congress-hopes-to-regain-lost-ground-in-4-districts-101776777333329.html In the 1970s, he was associated with the Naxalite movement before formally joining the Indian National Congress during Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership.He contested from Nabagram in 1991 but lost by 1,401 votes amid a tense and violent election environment, where he reportedly faced strong opposition during polling.In 1996, he won the Nabagram Assembly seat with 76,852 votes, defeating his rival by around 20,329 votes, marking a strong political comebackHe won the 1999 Lok Sabha election from Berhampore by 95,391 votes, defeating Pramothes Mukherjee of the Revolutionary Socialist Party and later became Congress president of Murshidabad district.He served as Minister of State for Railways in 2012 under the Manmohan Singh government but lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Berhampore to Yusuf Pathan by over 85,000 votes following which he resigned as the president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC). Aditi Anand is an undergraduate student of English at Miranda House, University of Delhi, with an interest in media and the shifting dynamics of public discourse. She is particularly curious about how narratives are shaped, circulated, and received in contemporary spaces. Her work is informed by close observation and an engagement with everyday life, often examining the intersections of personal experience and broader social contexts. She is drawn to questions of voice, representation, and the ways in which perception is influenced by both language and environment. Beyond the newsroom, she is interested in literature and enjoys writing poetry, approaching it as a space for reflection and creative exploration alongside her analytical work. Her writing aims to balance clarity with nuance, focusing on presenting ideas in a way that is accessible while still engaging with their complexity. She approaches writing with intent and attentiveness, aiming to contribute meaningfully to conversations while continuing to develop a voice that is thoughtful and grounded.Read More