Baharampur (Murshidabad): It was about two years in the past that the bright-eyed residents of Murshidabad, a city east of the Bhagirathi River in West Bengal state, voted to abolish “Robin Hood” (which many in Baharampur nonetheless use to discuss with Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury) and elect former cricketer Yusuf Pathan to parliament.
The previous Indian captain, who lives in Vadodara in Gujarat, was recruited by West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee simply earlier than the 2024 Sabah polls and was given a ticket to contest from Baharampur, one of many three seats in Murshidabad. The state has one of many highest Muslim populations in Murshidabad state at 66%.
Yusuf Pathan stunned many by defeating Chaudhary, a five-term MP and two-term MLA, by a margin of over 80,000 votes in his hometown. Chaudhary is contesting this time from the Baharampur Meeting seat, however till then he was thought-about the undisputed chief of Baharampur, his birthplace.
However as we speak, Pathan’s followers have disappeared. It was changed with disappointment bordering on anger. When speaking to folks on this space, a query usually repeated is “The place is Patan?”
In every single place he goes in his constituency, he’s bombarded with complaints in opposition to him.
Residents say Pathan has largely deserted them since successful the seat. “He doesn’t keep within the constituency all of sudden. He comes right here simply to attend occasions or inaugurate some features, stays in a lodge and leaves. He hardly meets the general public. Now that the elections have began, we are going to see him once more campaigning for the occasion,” Saiful Islam, 33, a resident of Beldanga village in Baharampur, instructed ThePrint.
Saiful, who runs a ironmongery store in Beldanga along with his father Safikul, mentioned even when Pathan will get a Lok Sabha ticket once more in 2029, he’s unlikely to win.
“Yusuf Pathan is rarely right here once we want him. The place is he when folks listed below are protesting in opposition to the SIR (Particular Intensive Revision)? The names of so many locals who’ve lived right here for generations have been eliminated or adjudicated. They’re operating round not realizing what to do. Should not he have stood right here with the voters at a time like this?” Safiqul asks.
The SIR drive in West Bengal has come below quite a lot of criticism, particularly after the names of tons of of voters had been eliminated or adjudicated in districts with giant minority populations like Malda and Murshidabad. In Murshidabad, for instance, greater than 1.1 million folks out of 5.5 million voters have been sentenced.
An analogous story unfolded final 12 months when violence broke out throughout protests in opposition to the Wakf Modification Act. “Nobody noticed him right here even then,” says Ajay Chowdhury, a resident of Koshin Bazar in Balrampur.
Nonetheless, Mr. Pathan refuted this declare. “This narrative that has been constructed that I do not go to the constituency is unfair. It pains me. I’m going to the constituency often. As an MP, I’ve a accountability not solely to my constituents but additionally to the occasion and the nation as effectively,” Pathan instructed ThePrint over cellphone from Vadodara.
When requested how usually he goes to Baharampur, Pathan mentioned he tries to go as soon as a month or as soon as each two months. “I haven’t got a house there. I stay in a circuit home. I meet everybody who involves see me with an issue and I do no matter I can to assist them. I give my 100%.”
He additional added, “I am new to all this. I am making an attempt to be taught. On the one hand, my constituents complain that I do not go there. Alternatively, my household, spouse and youngsters complain that they cannot see me at residence as a result of I am in Delhi or Kolkata. I do not know what to do.”
“I remorse voting for Mr. Adeel over Mr. Pathan.”
Residents now say they remorse voting for .bohiragotoMore often than not, he’s in his hometown, Vadodara, Chaudhary mentioned, including, “He runs a cricket academy there.” Due to this fact, it’s pure for him to be there and care for his personal enterprise. However then why did he struggle from right here? Individuals at the moment are realizing their mistake in voting in opposition to Adeel. ”
Safikul Islam, quoted earlier, says, “There isn’t a everlasting workplace right here the place folks can go to take their complaints. Have a look at Adhir. Even when he’s not there, his workplace is at all times open. You go along with your complaints and the folks there’ll make it easier to.”
Residents of Baharampur, who’ve discovered from their expertise in 2024, say they may assist Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury this time.
“Adil――and it is ours son of the land (son of the soil). He’s contesting the parliamentary elections and is prone to win this time,” Safikul mentioned.
Baharampur is without doubt one of the seven constituencies within the Murshidabad Meeting, the place Hindu voters make up 80%. In 2021, Subrata Maitra of the BJP gained the seat with a margin of 89,340 votes. Trinamool Congress’s Nal Gopal Mukherjee got here second with 62,488 votes, whereas Congress’ Manoj Chakraborty got here third with 40,167 votes.
Trinamool leaders have defended Pathan whilst they admit that he’s not usually seen within the constituency. “He’s a Congress chief. He has quite a lot of obligations. He can not go door to door assembly folks each time he comes right here,” Trinamool Congress’s Murshidabad district president Apurva Sarkar instructed ThePrint.
Humayun Kabir, a former Trinamool Congress MLA who was expelled from the occasion in December final 12 months, claims that Pathan gained solely as a result of Muslim votes had been consolidated in favor of the Trinamool Congress after Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who was campaigning in West Bengal for the meeting elections, made a number of joint statements in opposition to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool authorities.
“The Hindu-Muslim polarization that occurred right here due to Mr. Adityanath’s speech helped Pathan. In any other case, Adhir Chowdhury would have gained. This time, disillusionment with Yusuf Pathan will assist Adir,” Kabir instructed ThePrint.
Kabir, who launched his personal occasion, Aam Janata Unnayan Get together, in January this 12 months, is contesting elections from two seats in Baharampur Meeting constituency: Reginagar and Naoda seats. For the elections, his occasion has allied with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.
Pathan mentioned any criticism is not going to have an effect on his work. “I’ll proceed to work for them,” he instructed ThePrint, including that he often raises state points in parliament. “I raised the problem of migrant employees throughout Zero Hour.”
Patan Parliamentary Information
Within the practically two years since he grew to become an MP, Pathan’s efficiency in parliament has been lower than spectacular.
In accordance with the PRS Legislative Survey, Mr. Yusuf’s parliamentary attendance charge since changing into a member of parliament is barely 57%, in comparison with the nationwide common (attendance charge for parliamentarians) of 85%.
He has participated in 10 debates to date, asking 82 questions associated to his district, which has 178,000 voters, in comparison with the nationwide common of 100.
In accordance with MPLADS information, of the Rs 9.8 billion allotted to him to date, he has spent solely Rs 2 million. In accordance with the MPLADS dashboard, he has really useful 166 works, however none of them have been accomplished.
Pathan instructed ThePrint that the dashboard doesn’t replicate the precise standing. “We now have donated 2 million rupees for the development of a badminton stadium. It was lately accomplished. Some extra works are in progress. As a result of elections, no new works can begin.”
Underneath MPLADS, MPs obtain Rs 5 billion yearly to hold out developmental actions of their constituencies.
(Edited by Vinny Mishra)
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