The Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency, positioned within the state of West Bengal, is without doubt one of the 42 parliamentary constituencies from the state. Labeled as a Normal class seat, it covers a portion of the Uttar Dinajpur district. At present, the Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency contains seven Legislative Meeting segments, together with Islampur, Goalpokhar, Chakulia, Karandighi, Hemtabad (SC), Kaliaganj (SC), and Raiganj, all located inside Uttar Dinajpur district. Voting for Lok Sabha polls in Raiganj constituency will happen on April 26 within the second part. The counting of votes will happen on June 4.
2019 Outcomes and 2024 Candidates
Debashree Chaudhuri of the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) had gained the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Raiganj seat. The BJP has fielded Kartik Pal for Lok Sabha election 2024.
The Congress has fielded Ali Imran Ramz (Victor) from the Raiganj seat whereas the Trinamool Congress has given a ticket to Krishna Kalyani.
Info In regards to the Raiganj Constituency
- The Raiganj Lok Sabha Constituency is seen as an important, high-profile constituency within the state of West Bengal. It lies near the Seemanchal area of Bihar and shares an extended border with Bangladesh.
- The constituency was a Congress social gathering bastion till 1991 when the Communist Social gathering took over the seat for a whole decade below Subrata Mukherjee. Former union minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi of Congress held this seat between 1999 and 2009. He was succeeded by his spouse Deepa Dasmunsi in 2009 after he fell right into a coma.
- In 2014, the constituency switched to the CPIM, electing Mohammed Salim as its MP. Lastly, in 2019, the BJP took over with Debashree Chaudhuri because the Raiganj MP.
- In 2021 Meeting polls, the TMC scored 5 out of seven seats, together with Islampur, Goalpokhar, Chakulia, Karandighi and Hemtabad (SC). The BJP gained two – Kaliaganj (SC) and Raiganj.
- The Modi Wave stays fairly prevalent in Raiganj, notably among the many Hindu inhabitants. Furthermore, the penetration of central schemes, although not applied of their entirety by the ruling TMC authorities, has been sufficient to fire up a way that PM Modi has labored for them. The strengthening of borders in recent times additionally performs a job in popularising the Modi issue.
- With the constituency having a excessive focus of Muslim voters, minor communal tensions stay which set off a level of non secular polarisation. Furthermore, the Ram Mandir challenge finds resonance right here, and Ram Navami celebrations are anticipated to bolster the saffron social gathering’s efficiency.
- The Rajbonshis who’re concentrated in Kaliaganj, Hemtabad and Karandighi comprise a big a part of the Hindu vote lean closely in the direction of the BJP. The social gathering can be standard amongst SC, ST and OBC voters and is anticipated to place up a formidable present uniting a big a part of the Hindu vote.
Key Constituency Points
Cornering BSF
The TMC authorities typically engages in face-offs with the BSF. It’s against the tight border management practices that the power adheres to and is accused of being non-cooperative by the centre in its makes an attempt to curb unlawful motion on the border. Current deaths of 4 younger boys at a BSF work web site has ignited a political firestorm with the TMC accusing the BSF of negligence and highhandedness.
The TMC additionally associates the BSF’s conduct with the central BJP authorities’s bigger dedication to the Citizenship Modification Act (CAA) and the Nationwide Register of Residents (NRC) stoking fears that minorities can be disenfranchised.
Demographic Change
Many locals allege that the world goes by way of a demographic change as an increasing number of folks cross over from Bangladesh by way of a porous border. Whereas the BJP is extra receptive to those considerations, the TMC is dismissive.
Corruption and ED Raids
Krishna Kalyani, TMC’s candidate in Raiganj, was on the receiving finish of ED’s suspicions when his workplace and residence had been raided, following considerations of earnings tax fraud and different monetary irregularities. This fuelled a significant row with hypothesis round corruption, whereas others sensed political hostility to be the basis explanation for the state of affairs. Krishna Kalyani alleges that after he joined the TMC following his victory on a BJP ticket, he grew to become a sufferer of political vendetta.
Communal tensions
Whereas no main communal incidents have taken place right here of late, tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities prevail. In recent times, clashes between the communities throughout Ram Navami celebrations have put the Hindu group on edge, driving a polarisation of votes. The same tide of polarisation is being witnessed among the many Muslim vote financial institution.
CAA, NRC and UCC
The TMC authorities within the state is vehemently against the implementation of CAA and NRC. Whereas the Modi authorities has set the ball rolling on CAA, Mamata Banerjee has opposed the transfer. Furthermore, she has additionally raised the Uniform Civil Code, which is a ballot promise of the BJP. Throughout Eid celebrations this month, Banerjee addressed a gathering of the Muslim group, saying that “torture” is not going to be tolerated and {that a} Uniform Civil Code is unacceptable. She additional signalled to the group that UCC, NRC and UCC is not going to be accepted by her authorities.
Tribal Points
The tribal group in Raiganj faces land loss, displacement, and cultural neglect. Compelled evictions threaten livelihoods, whereas college students are denied exams of their native language. Moreover, 11 hill communities await Scheduled Tribe standing.
Different Civic Points
Raiganj struggles with infrastructural challenges rising from unplanned development, rising visitors congestion, and unlawful encroachment. Visitors woes proceed and locals demand a flyover on the railway degree crossing. The Raiganj Municipality and Railways blame one another for the delay which factors to a scarcity of coordination and administrative failure on the political degree. The BJP accuses the state authorities of delaying the mission by withholding mandatory approvals. Finally, the locals are caught in the midst of this fiasco, with no answer in sight.
Including to the city’s visitors woes is the uncontrolled motion of totos, that are recognized to contribute to visitors snarls and accidents. The district administration, in collaboration with the municipality and visitors police, has determined to implement a ban on totos and introduce e-rickshaws as a safer various.
AIIMS Raiganj
The institution of an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raiganj has been a longstanding demand of the area, however has since then confronted an extended delay. The difficulty dates again to 2009 when the mission was initially authorised, nevertheless it stays caught on the land acquisition degree. In 2013, the then Union Well being Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the TMC authorities of not cooperating, claiming that the state authorities was pushing for the hospital to be positioned close to Kolkata as an alternative of Raiganj. In 2024, narrative has shifted, with the TMC now accusing the BJP of intentionally stalling the AIIMS mission in Raiganj.
Who Stands The place
Within the 2024 normal elections, it’s a triangular contest with the BJP, Congress and TMC within the fray, with a detailed contest anticipated between the BJP and TMC.
BJP
BJP MP Debashree Chaudhuri gained the seat in 2019 with a margin of over 60,000 votes and a vote share of 40.06%. Debashree Chaudhuri is dealing with a powerful case of anti-incumbency within the constituency, as regardless of being made a minister of state on the Centre between 2019 and 2021, Chaudhuri, observers say, has not been in a position to carry the extent of growth and progress that the folks had desired. Her connection along with her constituents can be weak.
Fearing anti-incumbency and a formidable risk from the TMC, the BJP determined to subject one other face from this seat, particularly Kartik Pal. The BJP’s choice to exchange Chaudhuri with Pal is also a transfer to handle the “native vs. outsider” debate that had been simmering throughout the social gathering and citizens. By fielding a neighborhood candidate like Pal, the social gathering hopes it will probably consolidate assist base and deal with considerations of Chaudhuri’s “outsider” standing. It stays to be seen whether or not this transfer will repay.
Kartik Pal is a former TMC chief who switched to the BJP in 2020, aligning with Suvendu Adhikari. Pal was initially within the Congress when he gained the 2015 Kaliaganj Municipal Election and served because the vice chairman. Kartik Pal is a widely known chief within the constituency, and his marketing campaign efforts are in full movement, bolstered by Suvendu Adhikari’s grand appearances within the constituency.
He’s particularly well-footed in Kaliaganj, whose municipality he has led for years.
TMC
The TMC has fielded Krishna Kalyani as its candidate. Kalyani is a widely known businessman and had earlier gained the Raiganj Meeting seat on a BJP ticket in 2021. Nonetheless, he resigned from BJP on October 1, 2021, and subsequently joined the TMC.
In 2023, the ED and CBI carried out raids at Kalyani’s workplace and residence after his firm’s enterprise transactions got here below investigation. Kalyani emerged out of the controversy unscathed.
Kalyani has cultivated favour among the many folks right here by being current on the bottom. Actually, observers cite his assist for victims through the Covid pandemic.
Kalyani has a powerful backing of CM Mamata Banerjee, who can be campaigning in Raiganj to spice up his possibilities.
Congress
The Congress has fielded 44-year-old Ali Imran Ramz or Victor from Raiganj. Ramz is especially standard in Muslim-dominated seats of Islampur and Chakulia. He gained Islampur by-polls in 2009 and in 2011 he was elected from Chakulia.
Since then he has been a two-time MLA from Chakulia till he was dethroned by TMC’s Minhajul Arfin Azad. In 2019, an FIR was booked in opposition to Ramz for alleged rioting in neighbouring Kishanganj in Bihar, and extortion and assault.
Ramz sees the BJP as his major goal this election, vying for the utmost variety of Muslim votes. In actuality, he’s competing with the TMC for minority votes, and to some extent can be anticipated to eat into the TMC’s vote share in what’s already a detailed contest with the BJP.
Voter Demographics
The Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency has a complete of 1599948 voters as per the 2019 knowledge. Of those, 13.9% are city voters whereas 86.2% are rural voters. The literacy fee in Raiganj stands at 49.54%.
Of the whole voters, 29.3% are SC voters whereas 5% are from the Scheduled Tribes. Hindu voters account for 57.5% of the whole voters, 41.7% are Muslims whereas 0.56% are Christians.
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