West Bengal polls: RG Kar victim’s mother Ratna Debnath gets BJP ticket from Panihati | India News
In a press release, the party said its Central Election Committee has approved the third list of 19 candidates for the Assembly polls, with Ratna Debnath contesting from Assembly constituency number 111, Panihati.His candidature was widely speculated in recent days after he publicly expressed his desire to contest on a BJP ticket. According to the official BJP list released on Wednesday, that possibility has now become official.
The move followed his public call to enter politics
Earlier, Ratna Debnath had said she wanted to contest elections to ensure “justice” for her daughter and to protect women in West Bengal.“A long time has passed since the brutal killing of my daughter. Despite the long agitation and struggle, we are yet to get justice. I have decided to contest the election on a BJP ticket to ensure justice for her,” he had said earlier in the week.Her husband also indicated that there were preliminary discussions with BJP leaders about his possible candidature and said that he was ready to enter politics directly on the issue of justice.
Political and protest backlash followed
Ratna Debnath’s demand to ‘reclaim the night’ drew strong reactions from some associated with the protest movement that arose after the RG tax case, with several activists and members of the public calling the decision “unfortunate” and expressing concern over the political turn.Some protesting voices said they understood the family’s frustration over the delayed justice but questioned the decision to join electoral politics. Others said the long wait for accountability pushed the family down a more direct political path.The BJP’s official announcement on Wednesday, however, confirmed that the party has gone ahead with its candidature from Panihati.
BJP’s third list has 19 names
Apart from Ratna Debnath in Panihati, BJP’s third list includes candidates from Coochbehar South, Raiganj (SC), Islampur, Hemtabad (SC), English Bazar, Shantipur, Howrah Madhya, Uttarpara, Singur, Chandannagar, Chunchura, Haripal, Tamluk, Midnipur, Midnipur, Midnipur etc. (SC) and Nalhati, according to a party release.Ratna Debnath’s candidature is likely to attract significant political attention in the coming days, given the emotional weight of the RG tax case and the wider debate it has sparked around women’s protection and justice in West Bengal.
