Murshidabad’s ‘Robin Hood’ at the assembly threshold: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury eyes Berhampore comeback

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Indian National Congress senior leader and former Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, is contesting the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections from the Baharampur (Berhampore) constituency. A titan of Murshidabad politics, Chowdhury is returning to the state legislative arena to reclaim his political ground following a significant setback in the 2024 national elections. Murshidabad: Congress candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury shows his ink-marked finger after casting vote during the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, in Murshidabad district, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (PTI)Chowdhury’s 2026 campaign is being viewed as a "prestige fight" for the Congress in its traditional heartland. After losing his long-held Berhampore Lok Sabha seat in 2024, he resigned as the President of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) to focus on grassroots rebuilding. On the campaign trail, he has been a vocal critic of the state government, framing the election as a battle against “administrative intimidation” and calling for a restoration of the democratic process in the district. Born on April 2, 1956, in Berhampore, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s entry into politics was marked by the radicalism of the 1970s, where he was associated with the Naxalite movement. He formally joined the Congress during the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi and quickly established himself as a dominant force in Murshidabad. Known for his "tough-man" image and deep connection with the rural masses, he earned the nickname "Robin Hood of Murshidabad" for his extensive local influence. He was educated at Gorabazar Iswar Chandra Institution, where he completed his schooling before diving full-time into political activism. The Baharampur assembly segment, located in the Murshidabad district, is the urban core of Chowdhury’s influence. In his 2026 affidavit, Chowdhury declared total assets worth approximately ₹13.09 Crore, including residential properties in both Berhampore and New Delhi. His declaration also highlights five pending criminal cases, a common feature of his decades-long career in the volatile politics of the region. For the 2026 polls, Chowdhury faces a high-stakes challenge from the Trinamool Congress, which has heavily targeted his stronghold. His campaign has focused on the "Special Intensive Revision" (SIR) of electoral rolls, where he has alleged that legitimate voters are being excluded. If elected, he has promised to revitalize the district’s crumbling healthcare infrastructure and act as a legislative check against state-level executive overreach. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the Baharampur seat was won by the BJP, but the broader Murshidabad district saw a massive swing toward the TMC. Chowdhury’s real challenge came in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where he lost his parliamentary seat to cricketer-turned-politician Yusuf Pathan by a margin of over 85,000 votes, ending his 25-year streak as an MP. Prior to his 2024 loss, Chowdhury served as the Minister of State for Railways (2012) and was the primary voice of the Congress in the Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024. His move to contest the 2026 assembly polls is seen as a strategic effort to personally lead the party’s revival in Central Bengal. Polling in Baharampur took place on April 23, 2026, with Chowdhury personally confronting officials over EVM malfunctions, signaling that he remains a relentless fighter on the ground. (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