Mr India vs Miss Universe vs Ex Son-in-Law: Three way Contest in ‘Once’ Industrial Serampore

Kolkata: For generations, Serampore has been a melting pot of languages and cultures, with Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Telugu and Tamil speakers coexisting harmoniously. Steeped in history, the town and its surroundings were the centre of industrial activity. It was home to India's first jute mill in 1855 and hosted various manufacturing units producing chemicals, paints, insulators and glass. 

Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty

Once a thriving industrial hub, Serampore, in recent years, has faced a significant industrial decline, with many industrial units becoming unviable or shutting down due to alleged workers' issues. The biggest setback was in 2015 when the Uttarpara unit of Hindustan Motors, known for producing the iconic Ambassador car, closed its doors, leaving thousands of employees jobless.

Industries still in operation find it difficult to function without the ruling party's support, according to Manoj Gupta, an elderly businessman from Chapdani. 

“I don’t get to decide who works in my factory; the ruling party does. They control the wages. I have to comply with their demands. Earlier, labour unions were powerful and demanded wage increases. Now, it's the political leaders who dictate terms,” said Gupta. 

Pradeep Yadav, a third-generation resident of Serampore town, is a symbol of the struggles of the region's industrial workforce. Living in a slum, the 57-year-old skilled labourer, whose father and grandfather worked in the same factory, has seen his job status downgraded from permanent to contract under a contractor, stripping him of provident funds, gratuity and bonuses. 

Despite asking all the electoral candidates a pressing question, the main political parties have not provided Pradeep with a satisfactory answer. He said, "I work from 8 am to 10 pm, earning Rs 210 per day. Leaders control my pay, not the employer. I asked why we are in this condition, but got no assurances."

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For the past few years, uncertainty has gripped once-prestigious areas. The housing industry is booming on the lands of closed factories, with massive residential complexes offering jobs only as security guards or housekeepers. "We didn’t get factories; all we see are housing projects. This time, I have decided not to work for any party in the election," said long-time resident Sudip Roy.

Located on the Howrah-Hooghly industrial belt on the west bank of the Hooghly river, Serampore comprises a blend of three rural and four urban-industrial assembly segments. Five assembly segments of the constituency are in Hooghly district and two are in Howrah district.

The general election has brought common issues to the forefront: unemployment, deception, religious polarisation and price rise. "We come under the CESC area. Our electricity bills have more than doubled, and the cost per unit has significantly increased. Meanwhile, I have read that CESC owner has donated Rs 400 crore to Trinamool through election bond. There is an overall uncertainty among everyone They are taking money from the pockets of people like us," said Sudhanshu Basu, a a retired government employee from Bali.

TMC candidate Kalyan Banerjee. Photo: Special Arrangement

In recent years, the area has experienced a sharp rise in religious tension. Last year, communal unrest erupted during and after the Ram Navami rally in nearby Rishra. With a non-Bengali population exceeding 25%, this constituency has seen increased Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activity, supported by local leaders from the ruling party. The Wire spoke to several local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders who, preferring to remain anonymous, claimed that the local MP, Kalyan Banerjee, is aware of this. They said, "Dada knows everything. He is a religious man and accepts these activities." 

Banerjee, the outspoken TMC veteran, is seeking re-election for the fourth consecutive term. Discontent among some local TMC members has surfaced publicly. During the campaign, Banerjee requested party MLA Kanchan Mullick not to campaign for him, citing alleged unpopularity among rural women. Just days before the polls, anonymous posters purportedly from within the party emerged, predicting Banerjee's defeat by over a lakh votes. 

"I have initiated a massive water project in Serampore. My target is to make Serampore College a university, establish a medical college, and a vocational college. Those opposing me benefit from my contributions," said Banerjee. 

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Known for courting controversies including a recent one for his mimicry of vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar, Banerjee faces competition from his former son-in-law, Kabir Shankar Bose of the BJP, and CPI(M)'s Dipsita Dhar. Banerjee and his opponents have engaged in verbal sparring, with Dipsita questioning Banerjee's visibility in the area, prompting Banerjee to challenge her academic qualifications by referring to her as "Miss Universe" and “Sophia Loren”.

Left candidate Dipsita Dhar in Serampore. Photo: Special Arrangement

"She considers herself a brand JNU, like Sophia Loren," said Banerjee many a times during his campaign trail.

"This is about policy direction, not faces. We are fighting to reopen closed factories, ensure workers get their rightful benefits, establish a handloom preservation centre, improve rail connectivity, launch heritage tourism, create new jobs, and enhance education and healthcare. The MP should answer why he remained silent on these issues in Parliament," said 30-year-old Dhar. 

"If I win, I will put all of them in jail. Everyone in the Trinamool party is a thief. We will not spare anyone," declared BJP candidate and Supreme Court lawyer Kabir Shankar Basu in a rally.

Serampore BJP candidate Kabir Shankar Basu. Photo: Special Arrangement

While Banerjee asserted: "The BJP candidate was brought into politics by me. He is my daughter’s ex-husband and doesn’t know this area. I don’t count him as a contender!" He remains optimistic, highlighting increased funds from Lakshmi Bhandar and government benefits, banking on the support of beneficiaries.

Pradeep Yadav’s wife and two daughters live with him. His wife, Sanjana Devi, said, "Our family supported the red party earlier, then we voted for Didi. But Didi’s party cut my husband’s wages in half, so we voted for Ramji’s lotus flower. This time we were thinking of voting for the red party again. But if the money from Lakshmi Bhandar and Kanyashree stops, we will be in trouble. We also won’t get Rs 25,000 from Rupashree for our daughters' marriages. However, everyone says they can’t cut us off like that. Still, there is fear in every household."

Sitting in her cramped room, Pradeep Yadav’s wife, Sanjana Devi reflects the dilemma of electorates.

Across Serampore, many women have spoken abut threats received from ruling TMC's campaigners that the benefits of government schemes will cease to exist in areas with low TMC votes which has spread a sense of unease among the voters. 

JNU students walk in support of Left candidate Dipsita in Serampore. Photo: Special arrangement

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Trinamool secured 45.50% of the votes in this constituency while BJP got 38.47% and CPM received 10.86%. However, in last year's panchayat elections, the BJP saw a significant drop in votes, while the Left and Congress vote share more than doubled. Serampore goes to poll on May 20.

Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.

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