Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, July 22, 2025, Kolkata : A viral video of former state BJP president Dilip Ghosh has sparked a fresh round of political discussions, with the leader hinting at his readiness to contest from Kharagpur Sadar in the upcoming Assembly elections. In the video, Ghosh states, “The party will decide who will contest where. I was asked if I want to contest. I said, yes! The party has fielded me from Kharagpur here from the beginning. If I am fielded again, I will contest.” He also questioned the point of avoiding elections, adding, “What is the point of having to contest elections?”
This statement from Ghosh comes at a time when Kharagpur Sadar, a cosmopolitan constituency in West Bengal’s West Medinipur district, has become a critical battleground for both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Known for its political significance, Kharagpur became a focal point when Ghosh made a remarkable entry into West Bengal politics in 2016, defeating the ten-time Congress MLA Gyan Singh Sohanpal. His victory turned heads and placed him at the forefront of the state’s political narrative.
However, Ghosh’s journey from the state legislature to Parliament saw his influence in Kharagpur weaken. Following his election to the Lok Sabha from Medinipur in 2019, the TMC wrested control of the seat in a by-election, even though the BJP had secured a solid lead of 45,132 votes in the last Lok Sabha elections.
In a surprising move, the BJP leadership has chosen to field actor-turned-politician Hiran Chatterjee, a recent defector from TMC, as the party’s candidate for Kharagpur Sadar this time around. While the decision has created ripples within the party, sources suggest that a faction of BJP leaders and workers are not pleased. Many believe that Ghosh’s return to Kharagpur Sadar would have significantly boosted the party’s prospects, especially given his strong organizational base in the area.
“It would have been different if the BJP had fielded Ghosh,” one local resident from Kharagpur’s Rail Colony said. “The TMC candidate, Pradip Sarkar, is much more familiar to the voters here. Ghosh has a stronger connection with the people. I think the TMC candidate has an edge this time,” he added. A senior BJP leader, speaking anonymously, echoed these sentiments, saying, “If Ghosh was fielded from Kharagpur Sadar, it would have given the party a major boost. Now, many are questioning why the party chose to field Hiran and not Ghosh, especially when four sitting MPs have been fielded in this election.”
While the internal friction over the candidate selection remains a point of contention within the BJP, party officials are hopeful that the non-Bengali voters in the constituency will provide the necessary support to counter any local discontent. “There may be some issues with the candidate selection, but they are not major. People will still vote for the BJP, especially given the strong support we have among non-Bengali voters here,” BJP leader Tushar Mukhopadhyay said.
On the other hand, TMC is leaning heavily on local development issues and discontent against the Centre, particularly over the fuel price hike, to galvanize voter support. With its candidate Pradip Sarkar, who is well-known in the constituency, TMC hopes to capitalize on the simmering discontent over issues like price hikes and governance, which have proven to be effective tools for the party in previous elections.
As the battle intensifies in Kharagpur Sadar, Dilip Ghosh has made it clear that he is ready to take a more active role in the state’s political landscape, especially as the BJP aims to reclaim lost ground in Bengal. His statements about contesting elections and his political trajectory indicate that he is preparing for a comeback of sorts, signaling a new chapter in his political career. Whether this shift will be enough to turn the tide in Kharagpur Sadar remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the upcoming election will be a prestige fight for both BJP and TMC, with both parties pulling out all the stops to claim victory in this key constituency.
As political tensions rise, the people of Kharagpur are watching closely, knowing that their votes will not only decide the future of their local constituency but may also impact the broader political narrative in West Bengal.