2021's ‘giant killer’ Minakshi Mukherjee fighting industrial politics in West Bengal's Uttarpara

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Communist Party of India (Marxist) Central Committee member and former DYFI state secretary, Minakshi Mukherjee, is contesting the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections from Hooghly district's Uttarpara constituency. As one of the most prominent faces of the "Left's Youth Shift," Mukherjee is leading the charge for the CPI(M) in a seat that has traditionally seen high-voltage industrial politics. Minakshi Mukherjee's campaign was defined by “door-to-door” outreach, with focuses on the lack of new employment in the region and the state of public healthcare. (File Image)ALSO READ: From SFI to mainstream: Minakshi Mukherjee is a new voice of the Left in West Bengal | 5 key facts In this election, Mukherjee faces a high-stakes battle in an urban-industrial belt. The CPI(M) candidate is fighting against TMC's Sirsanya Bandopadhyay and Dipanjan Chakraborty of the BJP. On the campaign trail in Uttarpara, she framed the 2026 election as a struggle for "jobs, justice, and the reopening of closed factories," positioning the Left as the only alternative to the "binary politics" of the TMC and BJP. Mukherjee's campaign was defined by “door-to-door” outreach, with a focus on the lack of new employment in the region and the state of public healthcare. She promised that if elected, she would push for a specialised “Industrial Restoration Task Force” for the Hooghly belt and the modernisation of local municipal schools. Born in Chalbalpur, Kulti, Minakshi Mukherjee is the daughter of Manoj Mukherjee. She holds a Master of Arts in Political Science (2007) and a Bachelor of Education (2010) from Burdwan University. Her political career began with the Students' Federation of India (SFI) during her college years at Banwarilal Bhalotia College, Asansol. She rose through the ranks of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), becoming its first woman state secretary in 2021. Mukherjee’s political profile reached a national high during the 2021 elections when she was fielded as the "giant killer" candidate against CM Mamata Banerjee and BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram. Known for her powerful oratory, she gained significant public attention during the protests following the death of student activist Anish Khan in 2022. She was elevated to the CPI(M)'s Central Committee in 2025. Notably, according to her affidavit for the 2026 polls, Mukherjee currently faces 19 pending criminal cases, mostly related to "rioting" and "obstructing public servants" during political protests and rallies. ALSO READ: Why will central forces remain in West Bengal even after assembly elections? Sirsanya Bandopadhyay (Trinamool Congress): He is a TMC candidate and a well-known lawyer. He is the son of veteran TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee. The party is fighting to retain this seat, which was previously won by actor Kanchan Mullick in 2021. Dipanjan Chakraborty (Bharatiya Janata Party): Representing the saffron party, Chakraborty is looking to consolidate the urban and suburban vote in this Hooghly stronghold. The Uttarpara constituency, located in the Hooghly district, is a historically significant seat known for the iconic Hind Motor factory. Polling in Uttarpara was conducted as part of the second and final phase of the West Bengal elections, with Minakshi Mukherjee banking on a strong surge in youth voter turnout to reclaim the Left’s traditional influence in Hooghly. In the 2021 assembly elections, Minakshi Mukherjee contested from the Nandigram seat in a historic three-cornered fight. While she finished third with 6,267 votes, her campaign was credited with rejuvenating the Left's youth base across the state. The seat was won by BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated CM Mamata Banerjee in a closely watched contest. ALSO READ: Mandates, muscle and myths in the 2026 West Bengal polls Before the 2026 elections, Mukherjee served as DYFI's state president (2018–2021) and later as its state secretary. (With inputs from local bureaus and ECI affidavits) Khushbu Sahu is a journalist with the online desk, assisting with research, writing, editing, and curating digital content, while gaining experience in SEO and content publishing workflows. She is currently pursuing a PGDM in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Khushbu holds a Bachelor’s degree in German from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), where she developed a strong foundation in language, culture, and global perspectives. She was awarded a scholarship to attend a language programme at Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, which provided her with international exposure and an opportunity to engage with diverse cultural and academic environments across Europe. Her areas of interest include politics, international relations, public policy, and human-interest stories. She is particularly interested in exploring how policies impact communities on the ground. Previously, she worked as a content writer with Karamrath and was associated with the Gandhi Fellowship, where she engaged in grassroots development initiatives. She has also interned in the public policy space, contributing to research and programme development in the education sector.Read More